The other lost city
by Maguchi
Summary: What happends if there is another lost city, one that is not lost but its name is The Lost ....... City
1. Chapter 1

**The other lost city**

CHAPTER I

It was a beatiful night, you could see all the stars known by men and more. All the guests were enyoing the party, all very happy and smilying. Well, all the cops and Shannahan's family were delighted, the SGC personel, scientiest and military, weren't. There was a group among them that was quiet and certainly unhappy. Daniel, Jonas, Cassie and Teal'c couldn't believe that the next day was Sam's wedding. But the worst part was that they didn't know were Jack was. He was invited but was missing the party.

"General" Daniel called George Hammond, former CO of the SGC.

"Cassie, Daniel, Jonas, Teal'c" the old man said.

"Do you have any idea where Jack may be?"

"He called me some hours ago to tell me that he had something to do, and that he would be arriving late."

"Ah, well, that explains a lot" the sarcastic Cassie coment. She definitely was spending a lot of time with certain person.

"Have you seen Sam, General?" Jonas asked, they haven't seen her since their arrival.

"She is with Shannahan's parents, they don't leave her alone. Mark isn't helping either."

Mark Carter didn't like the military, but the he was really mad with all of them because his father couldn't come to the wedding ceremony, that was taking place tomorrow. Some how he thought that all the military and civilians that worked with them were responsible of this.

In other part of the patio, Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter wasn't pleased although she had her beautiful smile glued to her face, her eyes were saying other thing. She wasn't paying any attention to the conversation that was taking place in front of her, between her future mother and sister in law. She knew her father was in a mision with The Tok'ra and that there was no possible way for him to be here, but that wasn't the reason why she was sad.

She knew that General O'Neill wasn't at the party. San was conscious that her inminent wedding with Pete was hearting Jack, how much she didn't know but she had seen his eyes the day she showed him the ring. However she was convinced he would come, he was after all her CO. But he wasn't here, end that's why her eyes where sad; only his presence would make her really happy.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: this is my first fanfic so you have to pardon if I forgot some things. My story is an AU story, Jacob is alive and will be alive for long but Janet died so there is no Janet in the story. It takes place al the end of season 8. I forgot, English is not my native languaje so I am sorry if a make mistakes, perhaps someone would like to help me, jeje.

Disclaimer: I dont own Stargate, I wish it would be mine but it is not, so dont sue me.

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**The other lost city **

CHAPTER II

Meanwhile at the SGC

"Unschedual off world activation"

The Stargate was spinning by now, the marines ran to their position, Colonel Reynolds appeared in the control roon.

"Close the iris, any code?"

"It's SG1's code sir. The General is coming back!", the gate technichian exclaimed.

"Open the iris"

Seconds later two figures came through the magnificent "water wall". The SGC had two Generals now, Brigadier General Jack O'Neill and the retired Major General Jacob Carter, both USAF.

"You know Jack, the Council won't be happy when Terrin informed them that instead of going to our meeting with them, we left with you" Jacob said smiling.

"I know Jake, but tell me, when I started caring what they think? Never! And you should be here tonight, and tomorrow. Your daugther needs you." A very seriuos Jack O'Neill said.

Jack wasn't happy with all this, Jacob knew that he had strong feelings regarding his daugther, but instead of acting like an ass, something that wasn't out of character in O'Neill, he was trying to make Sam happy.

Jack had called Thor, and asked him to find out where certain Tok'ra was satying, then went to that "adress" and kidnapped Jacob and Selmak. Of course he didn't kidnap them but in a way he did. Selmak was supposed to be delivering a very important discovery to the High Council of The Tok'ra in the morning, but now she won't be able to do it because she was on Earth, and very, very happy to be there. They knew that Sam was getting married tomorrow and they thought that perhaps they could convinced her of not marrying "that" guy. Jacob didn't know the man but was sure that this Pete guy, wasn't the best choice for her.

Selmak agreed with him and she had a plan in her mind, well their mind.

- You think this could work?- Jacob asked Selmak.

- Tell me something, Jacob, when has Samantha stop working in a new discovery so she could go in a date or have a life?

- Never, my Sam, loves her job, she loves playing with new things, and making new discoveries.

- So our plan will work, I'm sure of that. I have no doubt that the Council will not be happy but Samantha's happynes comes first. She is our daugther after all.

- Yes Selmak you're right.

"Jake, Jacob! Earth to Jacob!", Jack said.

"Jack, sorry I didn't hear you. Selmak was talking to me."

"It's ok, Dad. I was saying that we have to hurry, we're late."

"Yes, yes"

"Go and change. I will talk to Reynolds and then we can go to the party"

Jacob left to the locker room, while Jack went to the control one.

"Listen Reynolds, if the Tok'ra called, tell them that something happened to one of Jacob's grandchildren, and that he had to come ASAP or something like that, understood?"

"Yes, sir, but what do we do if they want to contact General Carter?"

"I will have my phone with me, so called me and I will see how to managed the situation"

"Undestood sir. Sam will be very happy when she sees her father" the Colonel said smiling.

"She will, Reynolds, she will" Jack said and left the control room ton go and find Jacob.

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A/N2: Please review if youwant, I really want to know if someone is reading it. Thanks


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Here is another chapter, this is longer, the muse was better with me today, jeje. Thank you for the reviews I did not think someone was reading my story, I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

**The other lost city**

CHAPTER III

"Sam here you have your Diet Coke"

"Thank's, Pete" she said with a reticent smile.

"I know that you're sad that your dad couldn't come, babe, but you don't have to worry, General Hammond said that he will be really honored to give you away tomorrow"

"I know, but I wish dad could be here".

Pete had been talking to Mark about his father. Mark told him that he wasn't surprised thathe didn't come, he was never there when one of them needed him.

Suddenly all the bride's guests stop talking. Sam knew that something happened. She looked in the general direction and saw him. Standing there, with green BDUs was her father.

"DAD!" Sam ran to meet Jacob. Father and daugther hugged fiercely.

Mark was astonished, Pete too. His father was here? How was that possible? Then he saw another man. A man with grey hair, a very satisfied grin and a uniform similar to the one his father was wearing.

"Who is he?" he asked Pete.

"That's O'Neill, Sam's CO" was the only answer he got. It was said with bitterness.

Jack saw Cassie and the guys and went to meet them.

"Jack, what have you done?" Cassie asked. Mark wasn't the only one surprised of seeing Jacob there.

"What looks like?"

"O'Neill has bring Jacob Carter to the party, Cassandra Frasier"

"Thanks, T"

"But how, Jack? The Tok'ra said he was in a mission, that he was unreachable"

"Yeah Danny, that's what they said, but I have some friends, well _a Friend_." Jack said, his eyes were shining, he was really proud of what he have done. Then they watch the meeting that was taking place in front of them.

"How is it posible?" Sam asked her father after releasing him.

"There's a man here that has a lot of power you know. He kidnapped me." Jacob said smiling, he was happy, Selmak was happy, everything was going to turn out the way they wanted, he was confident of that.

"The General?" She was really shocked; he had brought her father today? That's why he wasn't here before, he was off world! Sam turned and looked at the man that had a really "I'm very proud of myself" smirk. "Sir, what can I say? Thank you, sir, thank you very much", her eyes were shining, she had tears of joy in them, Jack was happy now.

"It's nothing Carter. You don't have to thank me. I was only doing my job."

"Your job? Jack! This isn't part of your job!" Daniel interjected.

"It is. It's my duty to look after Carter, isn't it, Jake?" his sight was locked on Jacob.

"Dad?"

"Jack, you weren't supposed to say that in public, this is between you and me. And I really didn't think you were going to make her happy _this way_" Jacob said not bothering to hide his disaprovement for the marriage of Sam and Pete.

Mark looked at his father stunned, Pete was heart that the man that was going to become his father-in-law didn't like him and he didn't even know him! All Pete's relatives were angry. This man was treating Pete as if he wasn't good enough for his daughter.

"Dad!" three voices shouted at the same time.

Mark stared at Jack in a disaproving way.

"Who are you and why are you calling my father Dad?"

"Oh, hello. I'm Jack O'Neill" Jack answered giving his hand to Mark, when he didn't take it, Jack continue "ok, I really don't know why I called Jake dad, it's a habit. I started calling him that way to annoy him, and now it's just natural for me to call him this way." He had a very innocent face while telling Mark this.

"It really doesn't matter to me. In fact, I like it. Jack is a good man and I would be very proud to called him _son _some day" This last comment was said with a very significant look. Sam sighed, Jack coughed, Daniel smiled, as did Teal'c, Jonas always has a smile in his face so naturally he was smiling, Mark was open mouth and Pete was red.

"That's the spirit Jacob!"

"Cassie!" Sam exclaimed.

"Thank you Cassie" Jacob said smiling, and as if nothing had happened, " Hello son, it's good to see you"

"Father" Mark couldn't believe what was happening, his father was encouraging her sister to finish her engagement to Pete, his friend, so she could have something with a man that was older and her superior. "What's wrong with you? You don't even know my friend Pete"

"I don't need to know him to know that he's not the best choice for my little girl."

Mark was about to reply when……

"That's enough Jacob" Jack was very seriuos "I didn't bring you today to have you ruined Carter's day. If you are going to act like a jerk I will take you back to the base so you can leave and go to your meeting." He said in an incredibly menacing way. "Shannahan it's good to see you" he gave Pete his hand and Pete took it. Everybody who knew him was impressed, they haven't heard him say so much together in a long time. Jack was really commited to make this night and tomorrow a special day for Sam evenif his heartbreak in a million pieces.

"Thank you for coming General, we are happy that you could come."

"Yes, well, I promised Carter I would be here, so it is nothing"

"Mr. Carter, it's a pleasure to met you, sir" he gave his hand to Jacob.

"I'm _General_ Carter, so you'll call me General or Sir" Jacob was really serious, Pete lowered his hand slowly.

"Yes, of course, General…… I'm sorry…… I'm just nervous to met you..., Sir." Pete was rambling.

"Dad, why don't you give me your bag?"

"No, Sam, it's OK, I'll keep it. I want to show something to Daniel if you don't mind. I know you're on leave but I'm not going to stay long and I want his opinion in something, and perhaps if it doesn't bother you, yours would be great. We are really lost with what we found" a very inocent Jacob said all this as if the man that had been an ass to Pete before had gone.

"No problem, dad"

"What did you bring, Jacob?"

"Do you mind if I see what you found, Jacob?"

"No, Jonas, in fact I would apreciate your view; the more, the best." Jacob said smiling.

All SG-1 (the formers members and the actual members) moved to a table and Jacob started putting some "old rocks" on it.

"Can I see, Jacob, can I?"

"Yeah, sure Cassie, but don't touch anything"

"I know that I don't have to touch, I don't want to be considered a destroyer of all the things Daniel likes. I don't want to be like Jack" Cassie said with a wide grin, Sam giggle, Daniel laughed.

"Carter, what have I told you about giggling? And you" he pointed to Cassie " you will paid for this" while he said this he was serious but his eyes were cheery.

"Sorry, Sir"Sam said grinning.

"Yes, Jack, _I'm really sorry_" Cassie was being really sarcastic tonight, Daniel thought.

"Why is it that I have to call him General whem all the others called him Jacob?"

"I don't know, man, but I've never seen him act like this, he is acting strange."


	4. Chapter 4

**The other lost city**

Chapter IV

"Jacob, it's good to see you"

"Emily! How are you?"

"I'm great. We are very happy that you could come to the wedding"

"Yes, well, I hope nothing happens so I can be here tomorrow"

"Why? You're not here to stay for a while?"

"Well, actually, I'm not supposed to be here"

"Grandad!"

"Kiddos, how are you? Mike, how is the baseball team? Steff your dance classes?" Jacob asked smiling. His grandchildren had grown up a lot since the last time they saw them.

- Kids grow up fast, Jacob.

-I know, I wish we could see them more often, but what we do is too important.

"The team is great, grandad. Did you bring us something from your trip?"

"Michael Carter, this isn't the way to say hi to your granfather!"

"Sorry, mum, grandad" he mumbled.

"It's Ok, Emily. I didn't bring you anything, Mike. I'm sorry, but I wasn't going to come so…"

"It's Ok, grandad, we are happy that you're here" Steff hugged him and kissed him "we'd missed you"

"I missed you too, honey. You know, perhaps I can arrenge something for you while you stay here."

"Really, grandad? Like what?"

"I don't know, Mike…… perhaps I can ask Jack for you to visit the place where Aunt Sam works"

"Really? That would be great!" both kids exclaimed.

Jack turned around to see Jacob with a horrified face in him.

"Jake? Are you nuts?"

"No, Jack, what do you say? The kids could visit _NORAD_, see some of the pictures you have of Jupiter, the black hole's one, you know the regular stuff."

"Jacob, where did you found this?" a very excited archeologist interrupted.

"The actual place is classified, Daniel, but we found it on our last mission" Jacob said forgetting about his grandkids and going to the table where SG-1 was seeing what he had brought.

"This was written by the Ancients" Jonas said, enthusiasm clear in his voice.

"We know, that's why we want your opinion. We are stucked in this part" he said pointing the middle of the small board. "And you and Daniel are the experts our people have in the Ancients"

"Well, if you have a piece of paper, I could start the traslation right now" Daniel said, his eyes were shining in anticipation of the new task he had.

"In the bag, Daniel, and there's something there that is for Sam, could you give it to her?"

"Yeah, sure Jacob"

All the people at the dinner were amazed, fine all the non SGC personel. This man, General Carter, Sam's father, had arrived, treated Pete badly and now was taking out work, and a very eccentric work if I may said. And the bride and her friends were acting like it was something natural!

"Dad, what's this?" Emily asked pointing the things Daniel was taking out of his bag.

"Oh, it's nothing, just things" Jacob moved his left hand in the air, "so Jack, what do you say, can you give permission to the kids to see NORAD?"

"I don't know, Jake, our job is classified" Jack pointed out.

"I know that" Jacob said in an annoyed tone, "but I'm not asking you to show them where you work. I'm talking about NORAD, Jack, the telescopes and, you know, the special photos you took in more than one opportunity ."

Jack looked at him and then at the Carter's kids and gave in. He always had a sweet spot when kids were involved.

"OK, I'll talk to Harrison, but I can't promised you anything.

"Yes!" Mike said.

"Now, go and play, kids, we have work to do"

"Yes, grandad and thank you General" Mike said smiling at Jack.

Jacob and Jack turned and started seeing what were doing the rest of the guys with a smile in their faces.

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A/N: This is a shorter chapter and a little out of place but I really wanted to put the Carters kids in the story and this was the only way I thought.

This is a Sam/Jack story, I dont like Shannahan so...

I am writting the next chapter but it is really difficult because I am supposed to be studying, I have an exam on Friday so I will try to update it soon

Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS!

I know I have to look after some terms but as I said before English is not my first languaje so I will probably make some mistakes and I really apreciate that you can tell when I makeone so I will not make it again.

Natters: thank you for the good luck, I will really need it because my mind is sending me messages that tell me: "you are writing a story, you are writing a story, write it", so it is difficult to study when your mind is focus in other thing, like how to say what I want to say, jeje.**

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****The other lost city**

Chapter V

"Wow, what's this?"

"We don't exactly know, Sam, that's why we wanted to show it to you" Jacob said. Sam had in her hands a very strange object. It was like a ball, a small one, but it was all written in Ancient's characters. Jonas reached the other one of those strange objects.

"I'll try to decipher what it says, but where do I begin?"

"From the beginning perhaps, Jonas?" Jack said, somehow he managed to have a dish full of food in his hands.

"Yes, General, you're right but why don't you tell me, where's the beginning here?" Jonas offered the object to Jack.

"No, no" Jack moved away Jonas hand "I don't touch nothing build by the Ancients" Jack commented with a small smile, "whenever I lay a hand on something of those people, something happens to me, so no thank you" he finished putting some kind of food in his mouth.

"Sam, babe, what are you doing?" Pete came to see what was happening.

"Oh, we're just looking at some artefacts dad brought, don't worry, it will only take some minutes."

"But, honey, you're not suppose to work today or tomorrow or in the next two weeks"

"Yeah, but this is important, Pete" Sam said to him with a shy smile that didn't reach her eyes "Dad needs our help so…, it will only take a moment."

"Sam we are…." He saw the way she was looking at him and how all the others were seeing him. Their faces said "don't bother us this is important". "Right, go on"

Sam gave him a big smile and continue analizing the ball.

"You should know by now that there's nothing more important to her than her job, Shannahan" Jack said watching what the rest were doing. Pete looked at him and left. He went where Mark was.

"This is really interesting, Jacob, it's a variation from the Ancient's languaje. I think it's a modern form."

"Modern?"

"Yes, Sam, see this characters here, they weren't like this in the first documents we found written by them." Daniel showed Sam the first lines of the board. "It says something about a city, I think"

"Another city? For crying out loud! What is it with this people and the cities?"

"We don't know anything about this city, Jack", a very exasperated Daniel said, "I'm sure there's nothing wrong with this city as there was nothing wrong with the other city"

"The other city was lost, Daniel! And I almost dye trying to find it!" Jack cryed out.

"We know, Jack, but nothing will happen this time" Jacob said.

-We do not know that, Jacob.

-I know that Selmak, but that does not mean that they have to know.

" So I won't have to put my head anywhere?" Jacob heard Jack said

All the people that were hearing this conversation looked puzzled, they didn't understood anything that was being said there.

Hammond was looking at the busy team with amusment, he hadn't been able to see them work for a while, it was always a show.

"You don't go anymore on fieldtrips, sir, so there will not be any risk for you this time" Sam was trying to find something in the ball but for Jack it was just a ball, a baseball ball if you ask him.

"Oh, thak you, Carter, that's something a soldier wants to hear." Sam smiled at him a genuine smile.

Hammond was going to talk, to remind them that they weren't at the SGC, that there were civilians here, cops, family, that they shouldn't be doing this here when Jonas said:

"It says something about a door and a prophecy? I think"

"Ya think? Let me see it"

"General?" even do Jonas was shocked he gave Jack the ball, and then something happened.

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A/N: This chapter is short but I wanted to cut it here to give you some suspence. 


	6. Chapter 6

Well, here goes another chapter. I hope you like it. I am posting it today cause tomorrow I have to work so I will not be able to post it. Hope you like it.

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**The other lost city**

Chapter VI

"This is interesting" Danield said putting up his head from his task.

"Ya think?"

"What the hell is happening?" Mark shouted from behind.

"I don't know, but it doesn't heart" Sam said looking at her hand.

"I think we should return to the base" Hammond spoke for the first time.

"Yes, we should go back to the base to analyzed the situation properly" Jacob was watching engross what was happening. They had thought that perhaps something could happen but not this, and not this fast.

- I don't know if that's wise.

- Why? Do you think something could happen if they move?

- I believe a connection has been made, Jacob. A connection that we didn't consider.

- So you think that we shouldn't break it. That we should see what it means first, before breaking it?

- That's correct.

"We don't think we should move to the base, George. By the way, it's good to see you old friend." Jacob said without taking his eyes of Jack's hand.

"It's good to see you too Jacob" Hammond answer, he had a little suspision that Jacob and Selmak had done this on purpose.

"Wait a second! You just said that you should go back to your damm base, dad" Mark was loosing his patience.

"I change my opinion, Mark, it's that simple"

"Why?" Mark was really startled by the way his father was acting.

"Because……, I change it, it doesn't matter. We are not moving 'til we find the cause of this, undestood?" the last thing was said in a tone that wouldn't let any doubt that they were going to do what they said.

"Ok, don't worry, Jake, we won't move, but perhaps you could help us to understand what the hell is happening here?" Jack was starting to get anxious. Why all the weird things had to happen to them? Why?

"Why don't we calm down and evaluate the situation?"

"Situation? The situation is this" with his left hand he showed his and Carter's right hand, "You," Jack pointed Jacob, "you said nothing would happen" Jack's tone was menacing, but his eyes were smiling. He was having fun!

"Lets relax, ok?" Sam was looking at her hand mesmerized "this happened when the General clutched the ball, and that's logic because he is the one with you know……" Sam looked around, she couldn't say what she wanted because of all the civilians that were there.

"Yes, that's right, so Sam why don't you put your ball on the table so we can all see what's happening to it" Daniel said.

"Ok" Sam put the ball down and all ended, "WOW, _this_ is really strange" Sam once again held the ball and all happened again.

The balls were shining. When Jack touched his the first time the center of the ball begun glowing, not only the one he had but Sam's too. The two balls were shining as if a sort of connection had been made between them.

"Why don't we start experimenting with them?" Cassie asked. They all looked at her. "What?" she inquired, as if her statement was somethig natural, "Sam, why don't you give me the ball? Perhaps it needs someone with _our special chemistry_ and Jack's _special DNA_ to work."

"Yeah, you may be right, we should consider all the posible variables" Sam said and gave Cassie the sphere. At the moment Cassie got it, the shining stopped.

"So?"

"Well, Jack, I think it's obvious that there is somethig that you and Sam have but no one else has" Cassie pointed out. She was a very intelligent girl, well, young woman. "I have a little idea what it may be but won't say it, of course, you'll kick my ass if I told you." She had a very big evil smirk in her face.

"But what?" Sam said not paying a lot of attention on Cassie's last coment. However Jack had payed attention and was looking at the girl in an intimidating way. He had an idea on what was Cassie thinking. They have had that talk a lot of times and the girl didn't seem to understand that the regulations were there for a reason _and_ that Carter was getting married.

Sam was oblivious of what was happening around her, she was starting to think and she was going to do it out loud.

"The General is, well the general, Jack O'Neill, and we all know why the ball is shining in his hand but why is it doing it in mine? If it shines in mine it should shine in yours, Cass," she said looking at Cassie, "we both carry the same protein"

"It may appear that there is some kind of bond between you and O'Neill that only exists between you two, Colonel Carter."

"Yeah, but what kind of tie?" Daniel asked.

- Tell them what we think, Jacob.

- I don't know, Selmak. I don't think it's the time.

- Cassandra seems to have the same idea we have for what she had insinuated.

- Cassie is a very clever woman but she doesn't know what we know.

- If you don't say it, I will.

- And expose us infront of everyone? You can't do that.

- If I have to I'll do it.

- All right, I'll teld them, but if Mark tries to kill me it would be your fault and I will make you pay.

"I think the two balls are some sort of key to open a door" Jonas said as if nothing had happened, as if what was happening was normal. Jacob looked at him with a lot of interest, this was new information even for they.

"A key, what are you talking about?" Sam asked confused.

"Perhaps you should consider the possibility that you two" he pointed at Sam and Jack, " are the only ones that can open these door and full fill these prophecy. The one that is name in the sphere, if my translation is correct."

"What? Are you nuts?" Jack was really shocked with his theory. The only thing that they needed at the moment were more rumors about the non-existent relationship between them that haven't died even do Carter was getting married.


	7. Chapter 7

Here you have another chapter. I wasnt going to post it today but I change my mine.

I need a BETTA,I believe that ishow you write it, so any suggestions?

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**The other lost city**

Chapter VII

"Wait a second, Jack" Daniel stood up to stop Jack. He was sure Jack was going to punch Jonas, "maybe, and I'm only saying maybe, Jonas is right"

"Daniel, you can't tell me you think that Carter and I are the only ones that can make this balls glow, that we are destinied to make them shine." From Daniel's point of view, Jack was starting to relax, not much 'cause Jack is always alert, always ready to fight, but he was relaxing a bit. Actually, Jack, was thinking that only to him this kind of things happen and always his former 2IC was involved, as is fate was playing with him; he couldn't have her but she was always stucked with him. He was really lucky!

"I don't know. It's strange that only when both of you touch them at the same time they glow"

"Dad, what do _you_ think?"

"I think that Jonas has a point. Although a traslation of the board must be finish so we can understand what this spheres are for, what door and more importantly, what prophecy Jonas is talking about."

- You should be a shame Jacob, lying to your own daughter.

- I'm not exactly lying to her and I do this for her.

- Explain me how is it that you aren't lying to her.

- I'm not telling her what she doesn't need to know. And don't look at me like that, we didn't know anything about a prophecy and a door. We only knew when the spheres were supposed to glow, so I'm not lying to her.

- The Tauri are a peculiar kind of humans. Your conceptions of truth and lyes are really complicated even do we have live together for some time now.

"I believe the reason that the spheres only shine when O'Neill and Colonel Carter hold them is the close relationship they have"

"Not you too, T" Jack cry, resigned.

"O'Neill, you and Colonel Carter are the only ones that don't see what we all see."

"And what is that?" Mark asked really interested. The conversation was becoming more and more enlightening. This was a part of his sister that he never had the chance to see, the way her friends saw her.

"Mark Carter, O'Neill and Colonel Carter are one" Teal'c declared as if that explained everything.

"One?" Pete asked for the first time. He had been in silence watching what was happening. Seeing the glances that were shared between his fiancee and her CO everytime their names were together in a sentence.

"Indeed"

"Stop right there" Jack said standing up and leaving the ball on the table; immediately the glowing stopped. Sam resumed her search for some kind of clue that the sphere might had. "We really need to know if this things are usefull or not, so, as Jacob said, we have to finish the translation. Then we're gonna see what to do, understood?" he said glaring directly to Jonas and Daniel that were side by side in front of him.

"Yes, Jack"

"Yes, General"

"Understood, sir"

"Indeed, O'Neill"

* * *

Half an hour later, the guests were starting to get concerned, well the non SGC personnel. General O'Neill was looking at the stars, not paying attention to anything that happen around him. Dr. Jackson, the man called Jonas Quinn, the big black man, Murray Teal'c and General Carter were talking in a very low voice about what was written in the board. General Hammond and the girl, Cassandra, were looking at one of the balls, while Sam was looking at the other. 

"What the hell do you think Murray meant when he said that Sam and O'Neill were one?" Pete asked Mark and Emily. They have been watching them work the entire time, and not even once Jack had looked at Sam or vice-versa.

"I don't know Pete" said Emily but she wasn't telling the truth. She had seen how Sam's face lighted up when she saw General O'Neill for the first time that night. Her expression was one of happynes not different from the one she had after seeing Jacob, gut her eyes. Her eyes said it all. She loved that man (and Emily was positive he loved her too), but she also knew that they could never be together because of the regulations (Sam had explained them to Emily some time ago). Emily understood why Sam was marrying Pete, too. Sam loved Pete, not in the same way she loved her CO, but Pete was a good choice to have a family and Emily thought that that was what her sister-in-law was wanting. However, now, seeing her look at the sphere as if that rock was priceless Emily really doubted Pete could ever make her happy.

"I think they are all mad, Pete" Mark said. He had seen the same thing Emily saw and was starting to worry for his sister. And his father, what the hell wa he doing talking about translations and languages? His father didn't know anything about that, he was a soldier and nothing more. And he really didn't want to know what was the relation between those rocks that they were studying and the Deep Space Radar Telemetry his sister was supposed to work in. "We should wait and see what happens next"

Pete looked at Sam. He had never seen her worked and was really impressed. She had been moving that ball in her hands for the last half and hour without taking her eyes from it and from Pete's point of view no information could be reach by doing that.

"I think I know why the spheres glow everytime the General and I touch them at the same time" she said very serious.

Jack looked at her. He'd been thinking a lot about whythat was happening to them but of course wasn't going to tell anyone, his idea was crazy. Carter was the geniuos not him, so her idea surely was better. "Really? Why don't you tell us?" he said with an evil smirk, if she had had the same idea that he had, they were busted.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **I do not think Pete is a good man to have a family with, it is Emily point of view. I really dislike the man, but Pete is Mark s friend so Emily thinks he is a good man. For those of you that wanted to see Pete s mother reaction here you have it.

**

* * *

The other lost city **

Chapter VIII

Sam looked at Jack like hoping he wouldn't make her explain her theory there. She wanted to go back to the mountain, to the safety of their briefing room where no one could get hurt. Where Pete couldn't get hurt.

"Come on Carter, you are our specialist in this kind of situations. Everytime something like this happens you have an idea and it's always correct so tell us why the balls only glow when we" he moved his hand between them, "touch them at the same time?" Jack had the feeling that her idea was similar to his and he really wanted to see Shannahan's face when Sam said it.

"Well, sir, first I want to tell you that I haven't find the power source. This sphere is perfect! There isn't any mark in it to tell us how they put the power source in, so basically we can't know how it works.The only marks that I found are the ones of the Ancient language." Jack knew Sam was trying to gain time. Sam saw the beginning of that sexy little smile he has and knew that he knew what she was trying to do "Sir, I think we should return to the base, this isn't the place to talk about _this"_ Sam was pleading him, her eyes were imploring him to give the order to return to the mountain. Jack looked at herpensatively for a moment.

"I think you're right, this isn't the place to talk about this" his eyes never leaving hers "Let's go people, the mountain is calling us" he stood up and started gathering the things that were at the table. He really had wanted to see the reaction Shannahan would had had when hearing why the balls shined only when Carter and he touched them but Sam, Sam asked him to do something and everytime she asked him something with those eyes……. he couldn't say no (that's how he was involved in all the Kanan fiasco) He saw her beatiful smile that said "thank you" and was pleased.

"Are you talking seriously?" Daniel asked, "we could have moved to the base an hour ago and we could have been working with the computer and all could have been easier…."

"Daniel, shut up!" Jack shouted "At that moment it didn't seem wise to do that. We are moving to the mountain, now!" he turned and started walking toward the parking lot. Sam collect all her things and went behind him when a strong woman intercepted them. All were shocked, who was that woman? Jack was going to say something when

"You're not going anywhere"

"Excuse me?" Jack asked confused "who are you?"

"I'm Patricia, Pete's mother, and you may go if you want but Samantha is staying here"

"What?"

"Samantha is not going anywhere. This is her's and Pete's party so she is not leaving"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but if I say we're leaving, we are leaving. Every militar here must do what _I_ say and I really don't care if this is their wedding party or their wake, we are leaving and _that's_ an order, _for everyone_" Jack looked at her very serious, he wasn't playing, he actually didn't care about Shannahan and his family, he cared about Sam and Sam wanted to leave.

"Samantha is staying" the woman said without blinking.

"Patricia, I'm sorry, but we really must go" Sam said politely, "this is really important and I'm needed so, please, don't force us to…." Sam didn't want to sound rude but that woman was really a pain in the ass.

"Sam, listen to me, I understand that you like your job very much, but now you have to consider that you have a family and Pete is the man of the house, you don't really have to worry about anything…."

"What are you talking about?" Jack said, his patience was fading "Carter is a good damm soldier, and _I_ would never let her resign because some little, weak man and his family feel less if she works in the military. So shut your mouth and move" his eyes were glowing and he didn't even had a snake in his head!

Sam didn't said anything, she was surprised by this. Jacob was red, he was furious. Selmak was trying desperatly to calm him. Pete was speachless.

Jack was fuming, the rage that was emanating from his body was amazing, Daniel had never seen him like that before. No one had ever seen him like that before. He started walking again and everyone moved away from his way, he looked like he could kill the first one that had the guts to interfere with his plans. Sam followed him in silence.

Teal'c was proud of his brother, he had handled the situation in the best posible way, he had almost loose his temper but what did he expect, the man loved that woman and was loosing her for a human that would never be good enough for her.

"Why…?"

"Daniel Jackson, O'Neill and Colonel Carter must have a good reason for doing this"

"Yeah, sure, Teal'c" Daniel said, watching carefully to the woman. She was really shocked that Sam had left.

"Wait, wait" Pete said, he was red but didn't seem to be ashamed of the words his mother said, "where are you going?"

"It seems that we are going back to base"

"We?" Daniel asked

"Come on Daniel, let me go with you"

"It's not me the one you have to convince, Cass"

"Grandpa George, Gandpa Jake?" both generals looked at her. She was begging them to let her see what was going to happen.

"Ok" Hammond gave in "but you will behave" he pointed out.

"I always behave" Cassie said with an inocent smile Jacob was sure she had learnt from Jack.

"Come on people, we have work to do" Hammond ordered.

"Wait, General, sir" Pete called Jacob, but he wasn't there, Selmak had had to take control of their body because Jacob was one step away from killing Pete and his mother.

"Sorry, Pete, but we have to go" Jonas said, he was the only one that looked at him, all the others were really annoyeded.

"Go? And I supposed you aren't going to tell us what was this all about" Mark asked

"Classified" was the only answer he received.

Ten minutes later half the guests had left, only the civilians remained.

"I can't believe this" Mark excalimed "How can they leave like this?" he was indignated.

"This is what they do, Mark" Emily said "and Sam loves it" she was shaken by what Pete's mother said, who did she think she was, treating Sam that way. Thank God for the General, he was really a military man that knew how to handle the situation, though Emily thought that for a second he was going to hit the woman.

* * *

Twenty minutes later at the SGC, all the tempers were calm. 

"This is great, I haven't been in the briefing room before"

"You haven't?" Jonas asked

"No, when I arrived from my homeplanet I was send to the infirmary and then to one of those "guest's" rooms"

"Oh"

"Cassie, please, behave"

"I know Sam, I'm just happy to be here with you guys, that's all. I like being a part of the team."

"You are not part of the team, young lady" Jack said coming in, his humor was improving "you're here because George and Jake have a sweet spot for you" he said smiling.

"I don't have one, Selmak has" Jacob alleged. Suddenly his head went down. **"Jacob considers you his adopted grandchild Cassandra"**

"Really? Well he is like my grandad"

"Ok, people, why don't we start working?"

"Yes Sam, tell us what did you find out?"

* * *

A/N 2: This is not the last time you are gonna see that insufferable woman, at the moment I am writing chapter eleven and she will appear in it.

A/N 3: I am trying to write longer chapters but is really difficult. In my notebook they are long but when I write them in the omputer they are short, but I am getting better, next chapter is longer.

THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS!


	9. Chapter 9

I could not post anything in the weekend so today I will post twice. Hope you enjoy it.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter IX

"Well, Daniel, why don't _you_ tell us what _you_ find out?"

"Why us? Sam, you were the one that wanted to return to the base."

"**Dr. Jackson I believe Samantha wants to be sure her theory is correct by hearing what we discover"**

"Right" Sam said smiling brightly to her father, well, Selmak in this case.

"Ok" Daniel said and started giving his lecture "as I pointed out some hours ago, the board talks about a city" Jack rolled his eyes, "but this isn't a lost city Jack, it's a city who's name is The Lost something City. We don't know what this symbols mean" Daniel showed them one part of the text.

"Don't know" Jack said not even reading it or trying to read it.

"How is it that you're so sure you don't know if you don't see the board, uncle Jack?"

"Because it's in Ancient, Cass, and I can't read Ancient"

Teal'c's eyebrow rized up, "O'Neill.."

"No, Teal'c, I don't read Ancient" Jack said glaring at him. Teal'c looked at him again but said nothing.

"We know you don't underastand Ancient Jack. I was only showing it to you to be polite"

"Well thanks Danny but you don't have to do that" he said smiling.

"Please continue Daniel"

"Yes Jacob. As I was saying we don't know the complete name of the city, but we might be able to get there"

"Really?" Hammond asked.

"Yes General," Jonas said "here" he pointed another part of the passage "says something about a quest."

"A quest?" now Jack was interested.

"Yes Jack, a quest and we know where's the start" Jacob said smiling.

"Really?" Sam asked, and then suddenly the klaxons sounded.

"Unschedual off world activation"

"What now?" Jack said standing up and going to the control room. The others went behind him.

"Close the iris"

"It's the Tok'ra sir"

"Crap, open the iris" Jack said and went to the gate room with the rest of the troop to receive the visitors.

"I told you it wasn't going to be easy Jack"

"I know Jake but….. oh God! Why, tell me why? What did I do to deserve this?" Jack said stopping and grabbing Daniel's shoulders. Daniel saw who came trough the gate and rolled his eyes.

"Jack, please behave"

"Hello guys, what bring you here?" Jack said coming into the room with what anyone can see was a "politic" smile. "Malek, Anise, Terrin was your name if I'm correct and I saw you here before" he looked at the fourth Tok'ra but didn't say his name.

"Garshaw, Jack" Jacob said.

"oh, yes! One of the members of the High Council" Jack said with a small smile. He knew who the Tok'ra was but as always chose not to show that he knew who he was.

"**General O'Neill"** Garshaw said

"**General it's good to see you"** Anise said smiling **"a long time has pass since the last time we met"**

"Yeah, time has pass but things haven't change" Jack said wryly.

"**Selmak, why did you come to EaRth"** Malek asked Jacob while they were going to the briefing room.

**"We have to come to Samantha's wedding Malek, she is our daughter"**

All the Tok'ra looked at him (Her?)

"**Your daughter"** said Garshaw surprised by that answer **"I understand but your first commintment is towards the Tok'ra, Selmak"**

"**My first commintment is towards my host, Garshaw. And Jacob wanted to come. Though we weren't going to until General O'Neill came looking for us"** all the Tok'ra stared at Jack.

"Every father has the responsibility of giving away his daughter" was the only thing he said.

Selmak smiled at him **"The General did the right thing because Jacob and I wanted to talk to Dr. Jackson and Jonas Quinn about our discovery"**

"**You showed them what you found?"** Terrin inquired.

"**Doctor Jackson is Earth's specialist in the Ancients with his and Jonas Quinn's help we found out what the board says"** Selmak said.

"**You know what it say?"** Malek asked. **"You didn' know yesterday"**

"Yes, we were starting the briefing about what we found, Malek" Jacob said, sitting in his chair.

Jack showed them the chairs around the table and all the people present sat. The situation was awkward, the Tok'ra weren't happy with Selmak and Jacob. They considered that this information should not be known by the Tauri.

- They are going to punish us, Sel.

- We knew they wouldn't like what we did but it was worth it Jacob. Only Samantha and O'Neill are able to make the spheres glow.

- They aren't the only ones, Selmak, there are others that can do it.

- Yes, but not with the same results. I don't think that the spheres could shine so much in other hands. There's something about them that no one else has.

- Yeah, they are members of SG-1, their bodies had been modified through the years.

- That's right, they are not entirely human anymore.

- So you think that's why the balls shine so much?

- We should see how much the spheres shine in other humans hands, but yes I believe so.

"Why don't you start telling our visitors what we find out Daniel, Jonas?"

"Yes Jack" Daniel started again his sermon "As I said before we know that the board talks about a city, The Lost something City. We can't find the meaning for this world, perhaps you, Anise, can tell us" Daniel gave the board to Anise.

"**I don't know, I've never seen this word before"** Anise said **"what else did you learn?" **she said while looking with interest the text.

"Well, we think that to find the city we have to play some sort of game" Jonas answered Anise's question.

"**Play a game?"** Malek asked looking at Jacob as if the humans might be playing with them.

"That's correct" Jacob told him " It's a kind of finding the treasure game"

"**Finding the treasure?"** Garshaw asked.

"There's a game that human kids play that consist in finding and following some clues that will lead them to the hidden treasure" Cassie explained.

All the Tok'ra looked at her. They hadn't notice her before.

"**You are?"** Anise asked.

"She is my kid" Jack said. All the people in the room looked at him astounded.

"**You're kid?"** Anise asked, again.

"Yes, she's Cassie, mine and Carter's kid, any problem?" Jack asked with an evil smile. He wasn't lying to Anise, they were Cassie's legal guardians.

"We didn't know you have a daughter" Freya said looking from Jack to Sam.

"There are a lot of things you don't know" Jack couldn't hide his amusement.

"Indeed" Teal'c said with a smile. He was finding the situation really entertaining.

"**So, you think we will have to play that game to find the city?"** Malek was the first one to react.

"Yes," Jonas said looking at Jack puzzle "we also think that the spheres are important in the quest."

"**This sphere?"** Garshaw asked holding one. Anise caught the other and nothing happened.

"We believe they are some sort of key"

"Of course only the ones that can activate them can use them."

"Activate?" 

"Jack, Sam, please" Jacob spoke.

Jack extended his hand and Anise gave him the ball she was holding. Garshaw gave Sam his sphere and the instant both held them the globes started shining, again.

"**Wow"** said Terrin.

"**Do you know why is that happening?"** Malek asked.

"We have an idea" Cassie answered.

"**Which is?"** Anise asked looking at her in a scrutinizing way.

"Carter was going to explain that to us" Jack told them with a wide smile.

"It's just a theory, sir, I'm not sure" Sam said, she didn't want to talk, her idea was really a crazy one. One that could mean a lot. One that could cause a lot of hurt.

"Come on Carter. It's time to face reality. We need to know what you think about this."

Sam had the feeling that Jack knew what she had thought and that wasn't good.

* * *

Thanks for all the reviews! 


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Here you have the explanation. I want to tell you something first: I'm studying biochemistry and I love biology. My theory, or well Carter's theory, is a little crazy. It's an interpretation of a theory that is really important, it's a little wild but it has sense, at least for me. I hope you don't think I'm crazy and if you do, it really doesn't matter, as long as you enjoy the story.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter X

"Well, sir," Sam put the ball down "as we know the balls don't react o the naquadah because Cassie has the element in her blood and nothing happened when the two of you hold the spheres" Sam paused.

"**She has naquadah?"** Garshaw asked.

"**How is that posible if she is your daughter? You hadn't been host of Jolinar when she was concieve, she is much older"** Anise asked and said.

"Jack and Sam are my legal guardians. I'm not from Earth" Cassie said. Anise inmediately smiled.

"So you aren't involved with anyone, General" Freya declared.

"That's where you are wrong, Freya. I am commited with someone" Jack said his smile never leaving his face.

"Oh, and who is she?"

"That isn't something you have to know. Carter, go on."

"Yes, sir. As I was saying it isn't the combiantion of the enaquadah and the Ancient's gene that activates the balls. It's something more, though I believe that the presence of those factors in us is what makes the shining so powerful" Sam looked at all the people gather in the briefing room.

"What is it then, Colonel?" Hammond asked, the waiting was killing him.

"Well, sir, I" Sam glanced at the General, "Sir, there isn't any married couple in the base, isn't it?"

Jack looked at her quizzically "No, Carter, there isnt, why?"

"To prove if my theory is correct I need a couple that…"Sam didn't say more.

"That what Carter?" Jack was loosing his patience, he had never seen Sam so nervous before.

"Sir, please"

"Carter, talk, that's an order"

"We need a couple that" Sam stopped, again. Jack looked at her with a rigid face "Weneedacouplethathasmatebefore, sir."

"What?"

Sam breath slowly, she really didn't want to say this. "We need a couple that has mate before, sir. A couple that is compatible."

"Oh" Jack's facial expresion softed. "I see"

All the room was invaded with a tense silence.

"Why do we need that?" Cassie asked. She was really interested. She had the idea that the balls could feel emotions, that the balls could feel love, but didn't know why. And yes, Sam had say something about beeing compatible, from her point of view, being compatible meant to have feelings for each other.

"Well" Sam began "I think Teal'c was right when he said there was a connection between the Genaral and me that didn't exists between you and him o Jonas and me" She looked again at Jack, who was looking at his hands. "I believe the spheres can sense when the persons that are holding them are well-matched, from a genetic point of view"

"Genetic?" Hammond asked.

"George, you know what Darwin postulated about evolution?" Jacob asked. Sam looked at her father surprised. All looked at him surprised.

"Yes!" Cassie exclaimed, "only the strongests survives" she was smiling.

"**That's correct"** Selamk spoke **"only the strongest offspring survives, that means that the best genetic combination will survive"**

"And only the ones that have the best DNA, will mate and the result of that mating will be stronger than the originals" Sam said "The weak can mate and can concieve babies, and the babies can survive but the future generations won´t, those babies won't mate or they would die young or their offspring won't live."

"So you are saying that the spheres can identified mates?" Daniel asked

"Sort of" Jacob said "the spheres can sense the best genetic combinations"

"You knew it!" Sam said, she was really pissed.

"**Yes Samantha, your father and I knew it. All the couples can make the spheres shine. The intensity of the shining depends on how strong would be the offsprings. If the spheres don't shine means that the couple is incompatible"**

"That means that the General's and Sam's must be, wow, _the_ strongest one" Jonas said amazed. All remained in silence for a while.

"Why didn't you tell us Jake?"

"Selmak wanted to do an experiment" Jacob said smiling.

- You are..

- Come on, if I say that I wanted to persuade Sam not to marry that man, she will kill me.

- Yes, but say I'm responsible? Jacob that's not honorable.

- I don't care, Sel, she won't do anything to you but me…

"You know, we know you are lying, dad" Sam said.

"Me, lying? Sam I'm not"

"You are, why don't you confess that you don't want me to mary Pete?" Sam said, the anger present in her voice.

"**Your father didn't want to tell you because he wanted you to realize that you are making a mistake. Pete Shannahan is not the proper mate for you"**

"And the General is?"

"**Jacob didn't want to see that General O'Neill is the perfect mate for you at the beginning"** Jack looked at Selmak astonished. **"But I showed him what a couple you two make"** she, well, he was smiling **"as Teal'c said you are one"**

"This is unbelievable" Jack said for the first time "Your father, Carter, has a matchmaker snake in his head!" he said laughing. Cassie started giggling so did Daniel.

"This isn't funny sir" Sam could't hide the smile that was appearing in her face, it was really funny. Her father, the strong General Carter, was playing matchmaker because he had a snake that has a female personality.

"**Well,"** Garshaw said, he didn't think this was at all funny, **"we now know that only General O'Neill and Samantha can activate the key. What else do we know? What secret is kept in this city?"**

"We don't know" Jonas said "but it seems to be important if only mates can open the door"

"Stop saying that word, please! Carter and I aren't mates" Jack was finding this situation amusing but it was also uncomfortable. It seems that everyone in the room knew how he felt about Carter.

"But you should, O'Neill. The offspring of your union with Colonel Carter would be very powerful"

"Yeah, sure, T" the sarcastic O'Neill said. "Daniel do we know where to start our search?"

"Yes Jack, we have the address, here" he gave him a piece of paper.

"We must go, sir"

"You're not going anywhere, Colonel, you're getting married tomorrow"

"The wedding can wait, sir"

All looked at her. They couldn't believe she had said that.

"Really?" Jack asked. If he had known that something like this could make Carter postpone her wedding he would have invented somethingsometime ago.

* * *

Next chapter will be longer, a lot longer. 


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: this is the longer chapter I think I am going to write. It took me a while to write and now I am tired. My muse has gone and I am trying to right chapter 12 but it is difficult. I will try to update soon. Enjoy it.**

* * *

The other lost city**

Chapter XI

"Yes sir, this is to important for us to postpone it because of a personal issue" Sam said very serious, "when has something personal stopped us, we always do the job no matter what, sir"

Jack knew she was right, they had always put their work and the Air Force first, this time things shouldn't be different. This time things weren't going to be different.

"You're right, Colonel" Jack looked at her a moment before speaking again. "You should go to see you groom to tell him that you will be leaving for a while, we don't actually know how long our search will take"

"Yes sir. I guess you're coming with us" she said with one big smile.

"Well Carter, considering that we are the only ones here that can make the balls glow, I think I will be going with you", he said smiling. "But first, I have to talk to the President" he stood up and walked to his office. Before going in he turned, "Danny, Jonas can you take care of our guests? Teal'c you will go with Carter and Cassie to talk to Shannahan" Sam was going to protest "I know that it isn't necessary, but I don't trust his mother, Carter" he turned and went to his office, leaving them looking at the now close door.

"I don't need you there Teal'c, I can take care of myself."

"I'm aware of that but I will do as I was ordered" Teal'c knew Sam was capable of handing anything but he alse knew that this were special circumstances ans _he_ had seen Shannahan's mother. "Cassandra Frasier, you're coming with us. After talking to Pete Shannahan, we will take you to O'Neill's house. That's where you're staying, am I correct?"

"Yeah, uncle Teal'c"

"Lets go to my lab, I have to call Pete to see where he is" the three left the room.

"If you like we could go to the commisary to grab something to eat and then to my lab, I have some artifacts that you might find interesting" Daniel said. The Tok'ra looked at him.

"**I would like to talk to Selmak, alone"** Garshaw said.

"**We accept your offert Dr. Jackson"** Malek spoke.

Daniel left the room with Jonas, Anise, Terrin and Malek.

"I will go and see how is Jack doing" Hammond said leaving Garshaw and Jacob alone in the briefing room.

"**You don't approve what we've done"** Selmak stated, it wasn't a question.

"**You should had asked the Council first"** Garshaw said. **"We understand that you trust the Tauri, your host _is_ a Tauri but we don't. They aren't like the others humans that are out there"** Garshaw pointed the Stargate.

"**No, they are strong and aren't afraid of us, or any other enemy that might appeared"**

"**That's right, they haven't been slaves for a long time, they don't remember what is being ruled by the Goa'ulds. They don't see how dangerous their behavior is. They are dangerous"**

"**I don't see them as you do. For me they are a very good allied. As I said they are strong and intelligent."**

"**But they don't trust us"**

"**We haven't done much, Garshaw, to gain their trust"**

"**General O'Neill….."**

"**General O'Neill is a strong leader, wise too. He is more intelligent that what you think. He has suffered a lot in his life and the incident with Kanan didn't help in our relation with him"** Selmak looked at him **"I know you don't like the situation but the only possible way to find out what this city hide, is with their help. You'd seen how the spheres glow in their hands"**

"**I've seen it and it's really amazing"**

"**So?"**

"**You will have to face the High Council when this finish"**

"**Yes, Jacob and I are prepared to do that" She said smiling, "Are you going to come with us?"**

"**I think that you, Malek and Anise will do a good job"**

* * *

When Hammond went into Jack's office, he was at the phone with the President. 

"Yes, sir, apparently the spheres are the key to open the doors of a city of the Ancients." Jack looked at Hammond and pointed a chair, so that the old general took a seat. "Yes sir, the ones that built the artifact in Antartica" he smiled, "no sir, I won't put my head in any device this time, unless there's no other option" Jack laugh "No sir, I don't want to worry Colonel Carter"

Hammond looked at him quizzicaly, Jack shook his head.

"Well, we don't exactly know how long it will take, sir. Danny and Jonas said that the only way to find the city is following some sort of clues" He looked at Hammond, who saw that Jack was playing with a pen, "yes I have to go sir, Carter and I are the ones that can activate the spheres." Jack looked at his desk, "No, sir, the spheres need both of us, is our combination that….." Jack sat heavily in his chair "Sir, it seems that the spheres need the combination of a man and a woman to work."

George smiled, he really wished he was at the Oval Office at this moment. Jack was going to explain to the President the reason why only them could activate the balls.

"No, sir, Danny and Carter can't make them work. Sir, only Carter and me………… yes sir, well, it's complicated………….. sir, it appears that the spheres can sense who are the man and woman whose genetic combination is stronger………………. they sense who are the best mates………………… sir, Carter is getting married……………………. well, it was going to be tomorrow……………………..no, we are leaving as soon as we can……………………..when you give me permission………………….yes, General Hammond" George was waiting for the moment when his name would be said "yes sir, he is right here…………..I will give you with him" Jack gave Hammond the phone.

"Mr President, sir, it's General Hammond……………………yes sir……………I don't have any problem……………yes, sir………..no sir………………..ok, I'll tell him…………goodnight Sir" Hammond hanged down. "You have green light Jack, but you have to resolve the situation as soon as possible"

"You know that that's what we all want, George" Jack was serious "I'm looking forward to go off world but not with the Tok'ra, specially not with Anise/Freya" Jack sighed.

"It was a good move the one of Cassie being your daughter, she didn't like that" Hammond smile.

"Yeah, unfortunately it didn't last long"

"No, well tell me how are things at the base"

* * *

"So, what do you want to eat?" Daniel asked. 

"The commisary has a good variety of food" Jonas told them, "we have paste, meat, chicken, soup"

"Cake, coffee, Jello, red and blue,"

"We are never without red and blue Jello, the General and Sam would go crazy without them"

"And don't forget the cake or pie, Jonas"

"Yes, those meals are always available"

"Why?" Terrin asked

"They are Jack and Sam's favourites"

"Don't forget about cofee Daniel, there is always coffee there"

"Yes; that's my drink. Im adicted to cafeine" Daniel said laughing. They reached the mess and went to grab somethig. There was a strange thing that looked like the MRE of a previous mission, Daniel told the Tok'ra to don't grab them. Between Jonas and him selected a good variety of food, desserts, fruit and drinks and sat on a table. They fractionate the food and started eating.

"What' the relation between the girl and the Genral really?" Freya asked.

"Cassie and Jack? Well as Cassie said Jack is her legal guardian."

"What that does mean exactly?"

"Jack looks after her, he is responsible for her, Freya"

"And what about Colonel Carter and the General?"

"What about them?" Jonas asked acting fool.

"What is their relation?"

"I don't know, you should asked them" Daniel said

"Colonel Carter is getting married"

"**Selmak isn't happy with her decision"** Terrin said, he was a small man, with green eyes and red hair, the only thing that said that he was a Tok'ra was his voice and clothes.

"**Why is that?"** Malek asked.

"She says that Samantha was making a big mistake, that's why she let General O'Neill take them here; Jacob isn't happy either" 

"None of us is happy" Daniel said, "but there's nothing we can do"

"Why you aren't happy?" Freya asked

"Come on Freya, you where in that isolation room four years ago, they love each other"

"I was there Daniel and I don't understand why they act like if nothing of that had happened"

"Because they are soldiers, that's why; soldiers in the same chain of comand. They can't have a relationship if they are in the same chain of comand"

"**I don't understand that concept, Dr Jackson."**

"Well, there isn't much that I can tell you Malek, I don't understand it either."

Malek looked at him puzzled.

"Ok, I understand the rules but I don't comprehend why Jack and Sam ………"

"I think the only reason they aren't together is because they don't want the other to leave the SGC"

"Why would that happen, they are very important for the Tauri" 

"We know that, and they know that ans that's the main problem. What they can't see is that if they asked the President for permission to persuade a realtionship, the President would agree." Daniel said

"They have saved Earth more times that anyone" Jonas declared "But we have to remember that now we have Pete in the ecuation"

"We can get rid of Pete very quickly if we want"

"**Really, how?" **Terrin asked.

"Well, Jacob has found a way"

"**The spheres"** Anise said **"The spheres only work with mates, this way he can convince both of them that they belong together"**

"That's right, so the only thing we have to do now is wait!" Daniel said bringing to his mouth a spoon full of yogourt.

* * *

Once they reached Sam's lab, Sam went to call Pete to his cell phone. 

"Teal'c do you think she will realize that she is making a big mistake?" Cassie whispered.

"I believe Colonel Carter is really confused right now, and that is the reason why she agree to marry Pete Shannahan"

"Hi, it's me…………where are you?………………… Aha, yes, well in twenty minutes I can be there………… I want to talk to you Pete………………..it's important……………..ok, see you in twenty." Sam hang down the phone "Ok, lets go" They left the lab and began the journey up the mountain.

Once in the surface they went to Jack's car. Sam was really shocked when Cassie gave her the keys. The young woman told her that Jack would never know they took his car so there wouldn't be a problem. Sam stared at her a while then took the keys and they left the base. They were going to Sam's and Pete's new house. All Pete's family and her's were there.

The trip was quiet, Sam was thinking what she was going to say to Pete, he wasn't going to react well to the news but this was important, the city could have a new kind of technology and _that _was important. Also she wasn't sure if what she was doing was the right thing, she had seen the balls after all. The way they shined when Jack and she touched them, was amazing. She knew they where compatible, she knew since the first time she saw him in that breifing room. He was an Alpha male and she, she was a good female specimen, the babies they could produce would be great. And the balls just confirmed that. She was lost, really lost. What was she going to do? If only Janet was there.

When they arrived the house, they saw a lot of people. Cassie smiled, they wouldn't like what Sam was going to say. She didn't like Pete, he was a SOB from Cassie's point of view, he was an obsessive weak man. And he wasn't Jack. Casise always wondered why Jack and Sam weren't together, they belong to each other, as Teal'c had said, they were one. She got out of the car and followed Sam inside the house.

Teal'c went into the house following his leader. Colonel Carter was a great warrior, woman and scientist. There was noone like her, not even Ishta. She was strong and selfconfident when taking about science and military stuff but Teal'c knew she was lacking confidence when feelings where in game.

"Pete, we have to talk" Sam didn't even kissed him. Pete looked at her.

"What happened?"

"Not here Pete, I want to talk alone"

"No Sam, we are talking here, what you came to tell me, you're going to tell us all"

"Pete, please"

"No Sam, you left our party and now you want to tell me what to do? No way, we are talking here"

"Colonel Carter" Teal'c said.

"No Teal'c, it isn't necessary. If he wants to talk here in front of everyone, we'll talk here" Sam sounded confident, but she wasn't and Cassie and Teal' knew that.

"Come on Sam, tell us" Mark said

Sam looked at him, then looked at Teal'c who nodded.

"We are leaving in a few hours Pete"

"What?" Peted shouted. All the people there looked at her surprised.

"You are leaving?" Pete asked, "Where are you going?"

"We have something to do, something to search and.."

"It will have to wait, dear, you are getting married tomorrow" Pete's mother interupred.

"Ma'am, you don't understand" Sam tried to explain "this can't wait, the wedding in other hands can"

"The wedding as you put it, is your wedding Samantha, not anyone's wedding"

"I know, ma'am, but this is my work and it's important too"

"I can't believe you are gonna put your job before our wedding Sam!" Pete cryed out.

"You always knew my job was first Pete, so don't sound so surprise"

"I knew that your job was important to you but I never thought that it would be more important than us!"

"Sorry Pete but this is extremely important, even the General has to go with us and he doesn't go on field trips anymore"

"_He_ is going with you? Why the hell is he going?" Pete was mad. He didn't like O'Neill. He didn't like the way he looked at Sam or the way Sam looked at him or the way Sam talked about him or the way they saw each other. Pete didn't like Jack.

"Because _he_ is needed Pete! What's wrong with you?" Sam said.

"What's wrong? Let me tell you what's wrong, our wedding is tomorrow and you are telling me that you are leaving in a few hours because of some alien thing!" Pete shouted.

"PETE!" Now Sam was angry, he had said something that he shouldn't, he had said alien. All the people were startled; 'alien, he said alien' that was the thought that everyone was having. "SHUT UP, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO OPEN THAT MOUTH OF YOURS ANYMORE" Sam was pissed, Sam was furious and Teal'c had seen her before angry and it wasn't something nice for the person that had irated her. "YOU'RE GOING TO LISTEN TO ME," Sam had a deep breath and continue more calmed, "I. Have. To. Go. On. This. Mission., the President has given us the green light, General O'Neill told him that I was getting married tomorrow but he said that this mission was more important than any marriage. That I can get married anytime I want but that this mission couldn't wait so I AM SORRY we have to postpone the wedding but I'm just following orders, ok"

Pete looked at her astonished, he couldn't believe that the President had given them permission to go on this mission, no matter what.

"The President?" Mark asked. Sam knew she had played her cards well. They have forgotten what Pete said about the aliens. They were amazed that they needed permission from the President to go on a mission.

"Yes, Mark, the President gave us green light" she said smiling

"You know President Hayes?"

"Yes Mark, we know the President. We even have dinner with him some time ago."

"How?"

"General O'Neill is a hero, and _we_ are his team" Sam said with a wide smile.

"He is?" Mark asked, he had seen the man and he really didn't look like a hero, of course he didn't know how a hero looks but cretainly not as O'Neill.

"Yes, but that's not the case here, we are leaving, we have work to do. And Pete whether you like it or not, I _am _leaving."

"I don't care if the President gave you this order Samantha, you are not going anywhere til you marry my son"

"Ma'am, you really don't understand that I can't do anything about this. I was given an order and I will follow that order. I'm in the Air Force and my CIC gave me a direct order so I _will _follow it, no matter what"

"Samantha, it really doesn't matter now, once you marry Pete tomorrow you will leave your job to have a family" she said smiling.

"Excuse me ma'am but I never said I was going to give up my job. My job if my life…."

"That's where you are wrong, darling, Pete is your life now."

"No, ma'am, THE STARS are my life" Sam was loosing her patience. This woman was unbearable. "I care a lot for your son _but _my work is all I have and I 've work all my life to be where I am now. My team mates are my family and I won't leave them any soon."

Mark looked at her, Sam was loosing her patience. He knew that his sister's dream was going to the stars, was to become an astronaut, but he also knew that she wasn't doing that. And what

she said about her team, that was shocking. He knew they lived a lot of things together but to be consider her family? That was strange, he was her family, their father too but the men he met today? They weren't her family or perhaps they were her adopted family. He knew a little about them and from what he knew they were all alone, they didn't have a family near so maybe that was the reason Sam considered them her family.

"Honey…"

"NO, STOP IT" Sam said, this conversation was over, "I don't really care what you or anybody else think, I _am_ leaving and if your son wants to marry me when we're back, he and I will talk. I have a duty to fulfil and I will do it without hesitation, if you don't like it, I'm sorry but what _we_ do is the most important job in the world." Sam turned to leave.

"Sam, please, calm down" Mark asked, "perhaps we can sit and talk"

"No Mark, we" she said in reference to Teal'c, Cassie and her "have to go, as I said before we have a mission"

"Where are you going, Sam?" Emily asked, "How long it will take?" She was really concerned about Sam. Pete reaction to all this situation wasn't good; but Pete's mother's reaction was worst, the woman was insufferable. Pete had been saying since Sam, Jacob and the rest of the military left, that O'Neill and the other men of Sam's team were responsible of this. He said that they didn't like him and that they didn't agree with the wedding. Emily had the feeling that they didn't like Pete but she truly didn't think that they could so something like this on purpose. And if the President gave her the order, well, it should be important.

"I can't tell you where we are going, not even we know" Sam said, Emily and all the others looked confused, "ok, Daniel knows where we are going, he knows the location but nothing more. And I really don't know when we are coming back, it all depens. If we find what we are looking fast, it could be in a week or week and a half, if not in could take a month or more"

"What?" Pete's mother appeared in scene again.

"Sorry ma'am but that's what happends with all our missions." Sam said with a shy smile, "one of the General's missions lasted aproximately 3 months and well there's always the possibility that the mission goes wrong and noone come back."

"But you work in Deep Space Radar Telemetry, dear"

"Yes, but we go on missions too, ma'am" Sam said smiling. Cassie snorted, this was funny. Sam looked at her sharply.

"Sorry"

"So, Pete I call you when I come back…"

"As I said before, honey, you are not going anywhere" Pete's mother grabbed Sam's arm tightly. Teal'c moved to help Sam.

"Ma'am, please, release me. I really don't want to hurt you" Sam asked politely. Suddenly, her cell phone started ringing. "Carter…………yes sir……….we are leaving Cassie at your house, then we are heading the base……………really? And what did he say?……………………..Daniel must be jumping of excitement…………………..ok sir see you in half and hour…………….." Sam looked at Teal'c and said, "we are leaving _now_, see you later, and Mark, dad is coming with us so don't worry about him" Sam turned and Pete's mother stand in front of her, she wanted to stop Sam from leaving. Teal'c was the first one to react; he grabbed the woman and moved her to the other side. Patricia yelled in surprised and all Pete's relatives started reacting but the face the big guy gave them was enough to quiet them all.

"Colonel Carter, it's time to leave" he said.

"Yes, come on Cassie" Sam said and the three left the house.

In the car noone said anything. They reached Jack's house and Cassie said goodbye and wished them good luck. They saw how the girl entered the house and left. The base was calling them, a new world was waiting and Sam really wanted to walk through the gate and forget for a while all Earth's tribulations.


	12. Chapter 12

Here you have another chapter. Enjoy it.

**

* * *

**

**The other lost city**

Chapter XII

When Sam and Teal'c arrived to the base and went down to level 28, they found the control room full of people.

"Sir?"

"Carter, we are sending a MALP to the address Danny gave me"

Sam looked then at the gate room, Siler was finishing the preparation of the machine.

"Start dialing"

"Yes sir" Walter said; the entire SGC was called to duty. All SG teams were at the base. All wainting anxiously.

"Chevron 1 encoded"

Jack looked at Sam. He was ansious, he wanted to know what she thought about the hole situation but couldn't asked. Since her datying and then engagement with Pity Pete things were more weird than what they used to be. Before Pete's appearance things were better between them but now, now things were strange. Yes, they had started flirting a little again but God, she was engage, she was marrying another man and that hurt, a lot.

"Chevron 2 encoded"

Sam looked at Jack. She could see that he was lost in thoughts. She wondered if he was thinking about her and if he was, what was he thinking. 'Come on Carter, you are an engage woman and he isn't your groom' Sam said to herfelf. She had been thinking, as always, about what the balls meant. She had considered telling Pete what the glowing meant but then…she couldn't do it; the glowing didn't mean anything. They only said that the General and her had a good genetic combination, nothing more, so what's the problem with that? The problem was that she knew what was the problem. She had wanted to ask the General if he would give her the spheres to run an experiment with Pete but doing that would mean that she really had doubts about her marriage and he didn't want the General, her dad and the rest of the team to know that.

"Chevron 3 encoded"

Daniel looked at Sam. She was looking at Jack. He was marveled about how the two officers conduct when they were together. It was quiet evident to him and everybody else that they were in love, but their loyalty to the Air Force was remarkable. If he was in the same situation he would have given up a long time ago. Jack, Daniel noticed, was lost in thoughts, what was the man thinking! Daniel knew Jack wasn't as dense as he acted but sometimes he really could be a pain in the ass, of course he knew Jack thought the same about him, he thought smiling.

"Chevron 4 encoded"

Teal'c looked at his friends; he was aware since the first time he saw O'Neill and Colonel Carter that they belong each other. At the beginning he didn't understand why his two friends couldn't be together but now, now was different. He had learnt that the humans of the Tauri had strange customs, and one of them was the non relationship between soldiers in the same chain of comand. He didn't agree with it and knew that because of it his friends were unhappy and that the blond Colonel was making a big mistake. He hoped this new insident could help resolved the strange relation they had.

"Chevron 5 encoded"

Jacob was lost in a talk with Selmak.

-So, things weren't that bad.

-No Jacob but I think they are not enterily good either.

-Well, of course they aren't. Sam and Jack didn't react when we agree with Sam's theory. In fact they acted as if this was normal.

- I think they don't know what hit them, Jacob, yet.

- Wow, that was a good Earth expression Selmak, Jack would be proud of you.

- I think that we must encourage them to talk during our trip.

- And how are we going to do that? I know for a fact that Sam is angry with me and Jack, I don't think he will talk to me, after all we'll be talking about my daughter.

- They will talk with me Jacob. Samantha isn't irritated with me, she has a problem with you.

- And Jack? I don't think he will talk to you or any other Tok'ra. I don't think he will even talk to Daniel.

- I can talk to Anise so she talk to him and then I save him from her.

- You are an evil old woman Selmak.

"Chevron 6 encoded"

Jonas was smiling as always. The situations his friends got into were always fascinating. He was sad that Sam was getting married to that cop. He knew that the General loved her and, some time ago, he was sure that she loved him. He had the suspision that General Carter had done this on purpose. He had seen the reaction of the old General when Pete presented himself. The man didn't like his daughter choice and he didn't hide it. Nobody liked Pete and he couldn't blame them, the man didn't inspired confidence. And his family, ahrr, they were something …… Jonas didn't know a lot of Earth's humans but they weren't as this people, this peolple were insufferable. He hoped this situation would help Sam realized that she didn't belong with Pete and his family. And Jonas was sure he had seen Sam getting insecure for a moment before shutting down all her feelings.

"Chevron 7 locked"

All the people gathered in the control room saw as the "water" wall appeared after the "washooo" it always did.

"Send the MALP" Jack said. Siler and the other technicians moved the machine so it could go through the gate.

"The MALP will be arriving to the location in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1"

They looked at the tvs that were in the room. They saw nothin. All was dark.

"I think it's a really nice view" Jack said.

"Activate the 'night' (?) camera" Sam ordered.

When the camara was changed they saw what was at the other side of the gate.

"This is really interesting, I think Danny that you should go and play for a while, then when you discover something you give me a call" Jack said smiling.

"This is great!" Daniel said excited, "I think we should leave right now Jack"

"**I agree with Dr. Jackson, General, the sooner we are there, the sooner we can start analysing the ruins" **Anise said.

"But they are only rocks! Do I have to go?" Jack was expecting something more interesting than a LOT of ruins, cause that is what they saw. They saw ruins, ruins and more ruins. Aparently there had been a big and important city there once but nos there were only ruins. From the images sent by the MALP there were writings in some "walls", and from what they were able to see, the writing seem to be the Ancient one.

"Jack!" Jacob said smiling "yes, you have to go. Remember _you_" he pointed Sam and Jack "are the ones that can make the spheres glow so _you_ must come with us"

"But it will be boring!"

"How old are you, Jack?" Hammond asked.

"ahah, I won't tell you" he answered with a smirk in Sam's direction. Sam gave him her one hundred mega watt smile.

"Ma'am?" an airman said.

"Yes?"

"There's a man on the surface that says he is your brother"

"Mark? What does he want?" Jacob asked.

"He says he wants to talk to you, ma'am, sir"

"Jack, I don't suppose we can bring him here, can we?"

Jack sighed, "Ok, but he has to signed the confidential document AND we won't tell him about the project or anything. You can talk to him in the briefing room."

"Perhaps it would be nice if you are there two Jack" Jacob said innocentely.

"Why?"

"I don't know, you are the CO of the base, if he is able to be here you should be there with him" Jacob said.

"ah, ok"

"Well, I'll go and get him" Jacob said "you start preparing everything so when he leaves we can go"

"Yes dad" the two Air Force officers said.

"Malek, Anise, Garshaw, Terrin, if you are going to met Jacob's son you will have to talk like humans, he doesn't know anything about you so"

"**General O'Neill we don't have the intention on meeting Mark Carter, so don't worry, we will be waiting in Dr. Jackson's lab" **Garshaw said.

"Ok, so see in a while" Jack told them "Danny, Teal'c, Jonas start preparing to go off world"

"Yes!" Daniel and Jonas said, both were really excited. The search would be soon starting and they really wanted to see what Sam and Jack would have to do, because they were sure the shining of the spheres was only the first task.

* * *

At the surface, Mark was waiting. He knew he shouldn't be here, Emily told him to leave Sam alone but he couldn't. Sam was acting really strange, well since she started working here she'd been acting odd but tonight. Tonight was the strangest night Mark had ever lived.

First the group of people that were his sister's friends, especially her team. They were weird and they didn't act normal. The black guy, Murray was the weirdest and the other one, Jonas was always smiling as if this had been his first rehearsal dinner. Daniel wasn't acting strange but he wasn't confortable there, and it was obvious that none of them liked Pete. In fact, Mark thought that none of Sam's guests liked Pete.

An airman came and said that someone was coming to get him. Mark looked at the man astonished, he was going to be able to go into the mountain! Pete had told him that once he went in and that he didn't like it. There were a lot of soldiers, and it was all classified and there was no sun light. But Mark didn't think it would _that_ bad, after all Sam works there and his father seems to work there sometimes.

The same airman told him that he should followed him and Mark did as he was said. The man showed him the door of an elevator and told him to wait, that his scort would be arriving in a few minutes.

Some minutes later the door of the elevatro opened and Jacob Carter called him.

"Come on Mark! We must hurry"

Mark looked at his father, he was surprised that he was the one that came looking for him; he was waiting for another airman to show up, not his father, a Major General.

"Yes dad, of course"

Once in the elevator Mark looked at him.

"How down are we going?"

"Down" was the only answer he received. Mark looked at his father again, he was lost in thoughts.

- Someday he will have to know, Jacob.

- Someday, not now Selmak.

- Why?

- You won't to scare him to death?

- Samantha wasn't scared the first time she knew about us.

- Sam had dream all her life to go to the stars, the stars are her life. She believed in aliens since she was two.

- Really?

- Yes. Mark in the other hand doesn't believe in them.

- Perhaps it's time to tel him the truth.

- It isn't our decision Selmak. If you want to tell him, talk to Jack, he is the comander of the project.

The doors opened and Jacob got out. Mark followed him. The younger Carter thought that his father was mad with him because he had come to their precious mountain and was interfering with their mission. They approach another desk.

"You have to sign here Mark"

"I have sign in the surface dad"

"It doesn't matter, son, you have to sign again" Jacob said with a weak smile.

The airman gave Mark a document.

"What is it?"

"It's a confidenciality paper" the airman said.

"You are not going to tell anyone what you see or hear once we arrive to our destiny" Jacob told him.

"We have to continue ?" Mark didn't know what to say, where were they going?

"Yes Mark, we have to go down"

"ohh, and I have to sign this"

"Yes, if you don't sign it you won't be able to come with me and you will go back to the surface"

Mark inmediately sign the paper.

"Very well, here is your pass" the airman gave Mark a visitor pass.

"Inform General O'Neill that I'm going down with our guest"

"Yes sir"

"Come with me son"

Jacob lead him to another elevator, once they were in, he pushed level's 28 bottom.

"This is really down dad"

"Yes Mark, we are going down"

"So, how is it that General O'Neill was the only one who could bring you tonight?"

"Jack has a friend that located me and went looking for me"

"That easy?"

"Well, not really, but Jack's friend is very important and has a lot of power"

"You are talking about the President" it wasn't a question.

Jacob smiled, "What makes you think Jack's friend is the Henry?"

"You said his friend is important and powerful, wait, why do you call the President by his given name?"

"I know President Hayes, Mark, we served together"

"Wow, you know the President, Sam knows him too, how is it possible?"

Jacob smiled again but didn't answer. When the doors opened again Jacob started walking to the briefing room.

"You better hurry and follow me Mark"

Mark followed his father through corridors that seem the same

"How do you know where to go?"

"I've been here defore"

"Right"

They reached a corridor that had two doors, they passed the first one. Mark saw that it said General O'Neill and then entered the other door. There Sam, George and Jack were waiting. Mark looked at them, Sam and Jack were gear up to combat. Mark thought that her sister looked weird with the BDUs but she seemed quiet conforatble with them.

"Mark" Jack said, he didn't stand up, showing Mark a chair.

"General, I know my presence here is not wellcome but I had to talk to my sister"

"Mark, I thought I was clear enough at the house. I have work to do"

"I know Sam, but really can't it wait? Is your job more important than your wedding?" Mark asked her, her wanted to know _why_ her job was so important.

"Yes, Mark, it's more important. As I told the Gerneral before, never some personal issue has stopped us and this is not going to be the exception"

"Sam, I want to but I don't understand why-"

"Jack, I think you should see this" Daniel came into the room

"Daniel we are in a meeting here"

"Oh, sorry Jack. Hi Mark" Daniel said, "just look at this" he gave Jack a photo.

Jack looked at it for a moment, his face didn't said anything.

"Daniel I don't know what you want me to see here"

"Oh, right Jack," Daniel said smiling "here see? There is a place where we think the spheres go"

"We?" Sam asked

"Anise, Jonas, Malek and I" Daniel said.

"Ok," Jack looked at Daniel, "we are talking to Mark now, when we finish we are leaving Danny"

"But Jack"

"No Space Monkey"

"Ok" Daniel gave up and left the room

Jacob smiled, "He is really passionate"

"He is a pain in the ass" Jack said grinning.

"So are you sometimes Jack"

"George! You hurt me"

"Why don't we continue? Daniel will kill us if we don't hurry up" Sam said, then added, "Sir"

"Mark?" Jacob said.

"I was saying that I don't understand why is your job so important" Mark didn't understand either the entsiasm of the archeolist, but didn't said anything about it.

"Mark is my job, I love it, is that simple"

"You love it more than you love Pete?"

Sam looked at her brother, she really didn't know how to answer his question. She did love her job more than Pete but only because Jack was there. If he wasn't part of it, things would be different. She looked at Jack, who was looking at her. Mark saw the scene and something occurred to him, his sister loved her CO.

"It isn't who or what I love more, Mark. I'm the specialist of the base in this kind of tecnology and well the spheres only work with the General and me."

"OK, Sam, the only thing I want to know, now, is when are you coming back"

"I don't know Mark, as I said it could take a while"

"So what about the wedding"

"As I said to Pete's mother" at that moment Jack scowled, "if Pete wants to marry me when we are back , we'll talk"

"So you are not changing your mind"

"No, Mark"

"Can you tell me something more"

"What do you want to know, son?" Jacob asked

"Why the balls glow when you two hold them?"

Jack smiled at the question and said

"The balls shine when we touch them because the identified mates, and now, one of my airman will take you to the surface. Airman!" Jack shouted, Mark looked at him mouth open. All the others were shocked by Jack's comment. "Mr. Carter is leaving"

"Yes sir. Sir please if you follow me" the airman said and started walking, Mark followed him still in shock.

* * *

I don t know, I think I do not like this chapter very much, well I do not like the end. Next chapter will be the start of the searchof the city. 


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: first I want to thanks Alicia, she has checked my writing. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Now I want to tell you that this chapter is not the one I promised but I had to write it. Hope you loke it.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XIII

Mark drove to Pete's house still in shock. O'Neill said "mates". Mates. That meant that they were having sex or they had had sex or they would be having sex in the future. His little sister and a man that was, what 12 years older than her? His sister, the one that was supposed to get married tomorrow. The one that wasn't going to get married tomorrow because she was leaving right now to God knows where. The one that thought her job was more important than her life. The one that -- Mark was certain about this -- wasn't really in love with Pete. He was now sure that Sam was only marrying Pete because he proposed, and God knew what other reason she had, but he was sure it wasn't love as he had seen the way Sam looked at O'Neill at the party and at the base. She didn't see Pete the same way. Her eyes shined every time she looked at him or talked about him. And the way the General saw her -- How he cared about her -- For crying out loud, the man had gone to get her father when no one else was able to locate him! Mark had seen how Jack was grinning like mad as he saw Sam's reaction to his gift. He was proud of what he had done, and he also saw how he winced when Pete presented himself as Sam's fiancé.

Suddenly Mark realized he was at the house. He got out of the car and went in. the only ones that were still up were Pete, his mother (Mark didn't like the way the woman had treated Sam, but who was he to say anything? Sam had to know where she was getting into) and Emily (thank God for his wife, she really was a Heaven's gift).

"So? Did you talk to her?" Pete anxiously asked.

"I was taken down to level 28, the last level, and to what seem to be a briefing room," Mark stated.

"They took you to the last level? I was only allowed to the infirmary level."

"Well, I think my father's presence helped me," Mark said with a dry smile. His father. He really was acting strange. The way he treated Pete, and the way he was around O'Neill. Mark had the little impression that his dad liked the General a lot. Unexpectedly, he heard Pete's voice.

"Yes, I guess, he being a General helped"

"Yeah, well, as I was saying, I talked to her. They were really in a hurry, Pete. It seems that they found a place where those balls fit. So Dr. Jackson was truly excited. He wanted to leave as soon as possible." Mark explained, "She told me the same thing she said here. She doesn't know when they are coming back, and, well, she is leaving with her team no matter what."

"She doesn't care about her wedding?" Patricia asked concerned.

"She considers her job very important. She said that they didn't allow personal issues to interfere with their job before, and this wasn't going to be the exception," Mark told them.

"What personal issues?" Emily talked for the first time.

"Don't know. Pete, do you have any idea?"

"No, Mark, I don't know. But still I don't know much about Sam's work"

"I think Samantha has serious problems. I've never seen a woman that would postpone her wedding because of her job."

"Well," said Emily, "Sam had always been a workaholic, and she says she is doing something she loves."

"Is she?" Mark asked. "Sam always wanted to go to the stars. She dreamt day and night of going to the Moon or Mars"

"Well, remember what your father said at the party, Mark. He asked the General if he would allow the kids to go and see the pictures they got of Jupiter and other astronomy things. Perhaps, she is doing what she likes," Emily said smiling.

Mark looked at her a moment then asked Pete

"What do you know about her CO?"

"Not much," Pete said. "Why?"  
"Tell me first, and then I'll tell you"

"I will bring some coffee," Pete's mother said.

"I know O'Neill was the leader of her team for over seven years before becoming a General, and that he was the one that named her Lt. Colonel and put her in charge of the team." Pete started saying, "From what Sam says he is a hero and is really important for the Project, more than what he thinks"

"Is he married?"

"He was. He had a son that died."

"Poor man," Emily said.

"It was in an accident. I don't know how it happened. Sam didn't tell me, but I know that he was a mess after that."

"Sure, I can't think about what I would do if something happen to any of our kids," Emily said.

"What else?" Mark asked.

"Not much. He likes fishing and The Simpsons. Sam doesn't talk much about him or any other member of her team. She said it's classified. But I can tell you that O'Neill's file is extremely classified. From what I was able to figure out, the man worked with Special Forces, and he is kind of a living legend."

"Really?"

"Yes. The Air Force officer I talked to said that O'Neill is one of the best officers the USAF has, but he didn't say more."

"You searched information about O'Neill? Why?"

"I wanted to know who the man was, Mark. Your sister talks about him as if he is a damn hero."

"Perhaps he is," Emily said.

"So you don't really know anything about the people she spends her time with at work. You only know what you found out through other methods," Mark said trying to change the course of the conversation.

"No," Pete said sadly. "Now, tell me what _you_ know."

"I think my father really likes O'Neill and the rest of her team. And that's weird," Mark pointed out. "Dad never liked Sam's male friends. She is his little girl after all, and he saw the men that were in her life as perverted that only wanted to take her to their beds. But this time is different. He doesn't look at them that way. He saw _you_ that way but not her team. I think the difference is that he knows them, he has worked with them and trusts them." Mark smiled. "Dad knows that they would never hurt her. They are like a small family."

"Really? And tell me, Mark, what roles do they play?" Pete's mother asked putting the coffee cups on the table. She had a strange look in her eyes.

"I think that Sam and Daniel are like brother and sister by the way they treated each other. Then O'Neill and Murray are like brothers too, but in a different way. The two men are soldiers, and that's what connects them. Now, the relationship between Sam and O'Neill is the problem," Mark said looking at Pete carefully.

"What do you think about their relationship, Pete?"

"I think that O'Neill has a crush on her, and I really can't blame him because Sam is magnificent."

"What about Sam?"

"What about her, Mark?" Pete said in a hostile way. "She is getting married to me. What's your problem?"

"Nothing, Pete. It's just that there's something the General said that is making me think about a lot of things," Mark said. He didn't know how to bring up the issue.

"What did that man say?" Pete's mother asked. She hadn't liked the man. She didn't like how he gave orders and didn't bother to ask permission to leave the party, how everyone did as he said, how he defended Sam. The man was a menace to Pete. Sam seemed to be very close to the General, and that wasn't good from Patricia's point of view.

"Pete, I think we should talk alone."

"No, Mark. We are talking right here and right now."

Mark sighed, "Okay, man, but don't get angry with me."

Mark looked at Emily trying to figure out how he could say what he wanted to say without hurting his friend, "I asked them what the glowing meant."

"And?" Emily asked.

"The General said that," Mark stopped. He looked at Pete and then said, "That the balls identified mates."

"Mates?" Pete's mother asked. Pete's mouth opened. He was as shocked as Mark had been when Jack told him.

"Wow," Emily said. "That's shocking. Sam and her CO?"

"I don't know, Emily," Mark said, "but he said that."

"You are telling me that Sam is sleeping with O'Neill?"

"I don't know, Pete. All I can tell you is that he said mates. Perhaps it doesn't mean anything."

"I don't believe this." Pete's mother said. "That's why she doesn't want to get married. She is having an affair with her superior officer. I think we should go to the authorities."

"Why?" said Emily

"It's against regulations, dear."

"But we don't have any proof."

"We don't need any, and I won't rest until this woman pays for what she is doing to my son."

"Watch it," Marked said standing up

"Mark," Pete said. "I think my mom is right. They have to pay. Sam can't do this to me."

"What is she doing, Pete? We don't know if that's true. We don't know what is really happening between O'Neill and Sam. We don't know anything."

"But we have the suspicion, and that's enough."

"You can't do that to Sam, Pete."

"Oh, that's where you are wrong, Mark. I can."

"Pete, please."

"No. Mark. I'll do what I have to do. As Sam said, it is my duty."

"Pete, if you do this, I will never talk to you again."

"I don't care, Mark."

"Pete."

"Mark, we are leaving," Emily said. "I'll go and get the kids. We are going to Sam's house. NOW!"

"Yes, honey." Mark looked at Pete and left the house.

"You are doing the right thing, baby."

"I know, Mom."


	14. Chapter 14

I want to thanks again to Alicia. And thank you for the reviews.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XIV

Sam looked at Jack for a moment then left the room to finish all the arrangements for the mission.

"Oh man, you did it this time," Jacob said to Jack.

"What?"

"Why did you tell Mark about the balls?"

"He asked."

"Yeah, Jack. He did, but that doesn't mean he needs to know."

Jack looked at Jacob.

"What do you want me to tell you?"

"I don't know, Jack, but you of all people should know when to shut your mouth."

"What do you think I've been doing for the last 5 years?" Jack yelled. He was tired of this entire situation.

Jacob looked at Jack for awhile, sighed and closed his eyes.

"**General O'Neill,"** Selmak said, **"once we start our mission, I would like to talk to you, alone."**

"You? Alone?"

"Yes, General." 

"Oh," Jack was surprised. "You want to talk to me, Selmak, not Jake?"

"**Jacob will know about our conversation General, but _I_ want to talk to you."**

"Okay."

"**Good. I will go now to get ready," **Selmak said and left.

"You know, Jack, Jacob was right. You shouldn't have said that," George said.

"I know." Jack looked at Hammond, "You will be able to repair any damage I might have made?"

"Yes, Jack. Don't worry. I always fix everything," Hammond said smiling.

"Right. I'll just go now."

"Go. You're leaving in a half an hour."

* * *

Half and hour later in the gateroom.

"Okay, kids. Are you all ready? We are leaving to our first destination P4X-something," Jack said smiling. SG-1 (including former members) plus all the Tok'ra were waiting at the base of the ramp ready to leave.

"Walter, start dialing."

"Chevron 1 encoded."

"So Garshaw, Terrin you're coming with us and then you are going to go to the Tok'ra homeworld?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, Dr. Jackson." 

"Chevron 2 encoded."

Sam looked at Jack. He was playing with his P-90, lost in thought. She didn't understand why he had to tell Mark what he said, but deep inside, she was happy he was the one who told her brother the truth.

The Truth. What was the truth? Perhaps that she was making a mistake marrying Pete? Sam was more and more uncertain about her imminent wedding. Were she and the General meant to be together? That was something that Sam didn't want to think about. Because if she believed that, she would never marry Pete.

What the hell did "mates" mean? She knew what the word meant, but were they destined to be together? Well, in every alternative universe they had encountered, they were together. But was that even possible now? She knew she had hurt him, but perhaps there was still hope for them.

"Chevron 3 encoded"

Jack was lost in thought. He was thinking about everything that had happened that night. It was amazing. He had been preparing himself for the worst moment of his life after Charlie's death, and now, he was leaving on a mission, offworld. A mission that made he and Carter the protagonists.

Sam's thinking was in alignment with his. He knew the balls only shone when mates touched them. He had, after all, read what they said. YES! _He could_ read Ancient. He could also speak and write Ancient as well. He had downloaded their knowledge twice, and Daniel had taught him the language during the loops. So something had to have remained in him. He wasn't stupid. You don't get to Brigadier General if you're stupid or as dense as everyone thought. He had degrees in a few foreign languages, graphology and other stuff.

The only thing he wasn't sure about was, what was the real meaning of mates? What did that mean? That they were meant to be together or something else?

"Chevron 4 encoded."

- What do you think he meant?

- I don't really know, Jacob.

- Do you think he meant that for the last 5 years he'd been hiding, or trying to hide, his feelings for Sam?

- Jacob, the only way we are going to find out what he meant will be when _I_ talk with him.

- That surprised me, Selmak.

- What surprised you?

- That he will talk to you and not me. After all, and I don't want to offend you, you are a snake. Jack doesn't like snakes.

- Well, Jacob. Let me tell you that he will be talking to you. He will be talking to your body. On the other hand, I think he is afraid of you.

- Jack, afraid of me?

- You are Samantha's father, Jacob, and the man is in love with your daughter. Jack is her CO, and he is much older than her. And I think he knows that I want to talk about her.

- I can't believe that! The man fights against Goa'ulds, has been tortured by Ba'al, and had been a POW. Twice!

- But that's different, Jacob. He is a soldier; he knows that that's always a possibility. Remember how you felt when you had to talk to your father-in-law for the first time?

- Yeah, I was sick. I really didn't look forward to that conversation. It is the worst experience a man could have.

- Yes. And he wasn't a Major General, and you weren't his daughter's CO. I think Jack thinks that I want to talk about the possible meaning of the spheres.

- And he is right.

- So he is nervous about that, Jacob.

- Jack O'Neill afraid of me, amazing.

Jacob was smiling when Walter said, "Chevron 5 encoded."

-Do you think he treats me like that because he cares about the Colonel or because I'm your host?

-Freya, I told you this human wasn't worth it. Dr. Jackson on the other hand…

-I don't find Dr. Jackson attractive, Anise. The General in the one I like.

-I think the man has a lot of issues, Freya.

-He doesn't like us because of the Zatarc incident.

-I think that he didn't like the kiss you gave him.

-I don't understand why. I am an attractive woman. I saw the way he saw me the first time we met.

-I believe he has strong feelings for Jacob's daughter, and that's the problem.

-Yes, but she is getting married. Why can't he move on?

-I don't believe she will marry the other human, Freya.

-You don't?

-I have a feeling that something will happen during this mission. The spheres are something more that just keys.

"Chevron 6 encoded."

Hammond looked at them.

"Jack, we'll be calling you in two hours. Understood?"

"Yes, sir. I hope the eggheads here have something for you by that time."

"Jack!"

"Daniel?"

Hammond smiled at the scene that was happening in front of him. He had secretly missed this, a lot.

"Chevron 7 locked!"

No one there was surprised at what was happening in front of them. They had, after all, a tremendous amount of experience.

"Okay, campers. Let's go!"

Jack walked to the gate and disappeared as he walked through the "water wall." The others followed him.

* * *

Jack looked at the view in front of him. There were a lot, a lot of ruins, and trees on the sides. But what had snagged his attention the most was the sky. It was light violet, and you could see a huge planet with a ring of asteroids. The planet covered a great part of the sky. In the distance, you could see another planet.

"Teal'c," he said when the others arrived.

"Yes, O'Neill"

After seven years going off world together no words were needed between them. Teal'c started searching for any sign of problems.

"Jack, that sort of altar I showed you in the photo is in this direction," Daniel said pointing straight in front of them. "I think we should camp near the ruins."

"Okay, Danny. Lead the way and be careful, please. I don't want to return home so soon." Jack said smiling to him.

"Jack!"

All the humans and one Tok'ra laughed. The other Tok'ra were oblivious to the conversation.

An hour and a half later they had made camp between the ruins and Daniel, Anise, Jonas and Selmak were trying to translate what it said.

"**We are leaving, General,"** Garshaw told Jack.

"Okay. Thanks for coming," Jack answered to her.

"Malek and I will go with you to the Stargate, Garshaw," Sam said. "Sir?"

"Go, Carter, go."

The three Tok'ra and the blond Colonel left.

"O'Neill," Teal'c spoke. "Something isn't right."

"Yeah. I have the same feeling."

"I will go and walk around."

"That's a good idea, Teal'c, but I don't know," Jack looked at him thoughtfully, "I don't think that we have to worry too much."

"O'Neill?" Teal'c's eyebrow rose.

"I don't know, T. I know something isn't right, I can feel it. But at the same time, I know that nothing will happen to us."

* * *

"Samantha, what do you think the shining of the spheres means?" 

"Malek, I told you the spheres identified mates."

"And what does that mean?" 

"I don't know," Sam said sighed. "I don't know what to think really. It's difficult, you know. I'm getting married to someone, but then, suddenly, an alien technology appears and tells me that _my_ mate is my CO, not the man I promised to marry."

Malek smiled, he thought the dilemma the blond Colonel had, wasn't really a dilemma. **"Perhaps you should think about your pending marriage, and if what you're planning to do is really the right thing."**

Sam looked at him and gave him a weak smile, "I know. I've been thinking about this for a long time now."

"And?" 

"I don't know, Malek," Sam answered. "Let's go see if Daniel and Dad have found anything useful."

* * *

"What do you think this means?" Jonas asked Daniel, showing him some writings.

"Test?" Daniel asked confused, "Selmak? Anise?"

The two Tok'ra saw what they were talking about.

"It's possible." 

"Any news?" Sam asked.

"I think we might know something," Daniel said.

"Really, Danny. Tell us, because Hammond will be calling back soon, and I want to be able to tell him something."

"He called?"

"Yeah, Danny. You've been trying to read these rocks for two hours now."

"Jack, they aren't rocks."

"Stop it you two," Jacob interrupted them before it got ugly. "We have work to do."

"Yes, Dad," Jack said, earning a smile from Sam.

"General," Jonas began. "From what we can understand, when we, well, you and Sam, put the keys in this place," he showed two holes in the altar, "something will happen."

"**The ones that can activate the device will be tested,"** Anise said.

"**What kind of test?"** Malek asked intrigued.

"We don't know," Jacob sincerely said.

"And what happens when the test finishes?" Sam asked.

"I supposed another clue will be given to us."

"That will happen, if we pass the test, Danny."

"And why wouldn't you pass it, Jack?"

I don't know, Danny. I'm not very good with tests."

"O'Neill, I believe you and Colonel Carter should insert the spheres as soon as possible."

"Yeah. Hammond will call soon, and _I_ want to be able to give him some information."

"General Hammond doesn't worry me, O'Neill. As I told you, there's something in this place that isn't right."

"And I told you, T, that you don't have to worry," Jack said looking at him. "The spirits won't hurt us. They are waiting to see if we can activate this thing."


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: First I want to say that I wont be able to post everyday, I have to write the chapters, then copy them in the computer, then send them to Alicia so shecorrect them (Thank you) and then post them. And the big problem here is that I know where I want to go but I have to think how to write it and that is difficult. So Vid Z, please, a little of pacience. I will try to write a lot in this two weeksso you can read it but let me tell you that on January Iam going camping forthree weeks so I won´t be able to post anything.Second I want to thank you for the reviews.

Now, enjoy the story. Hope you loke this chapter.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XV

They all looked at him.

"Spirits?" Daniel was the first one to react.

"Okay. The Ancients, Danny. The Ancients," Jack said as if _this_ was something normal.

"The Ancients, Jack?" Jacob asked this time.

"Yeah. I know it's crazy, but they are only going to contact us if we can activate the device."

"**How do you know that, General?"** Anise asked.

"I don't know, but I know,"

"Have you seen them, O'Neill?"

"Well, no, T. I haven't, but I know they are the ones observing us."

"How?"

"I don't know, T, but I know they are here."

"Perhaps it is a second effect of the downloading of their knowledge," Sam said.

"Explain that," Jacob said looking at Jack with skepticism.

"Well, perhaps the General can sense when he is in an Ancient city or near some Ancient." Sam said not very sure of herself, "or perhaps he has the memory that the Ancients lived here sometime ago, or perhaps he knows that when someone activates the Stargate of this planet, the Ancients know, and they come to see who came."

"And why would they do that?" Jonas asked.

"Well, the General said they were waiting to see if we can activate the device. Maybe if we can and pass the test, they'll give us the clue we need to continue our search."

"That could be a possibility," Daniel said.

"So, Jack, Sammie" Jacob said, Sam gave him a look that could kill even the strongest warrior, "why don't you start playing with the spheres?"

"I don't know, Jake" Jack said playing. He grabbed one of the spheres and passed it to Sam, "here you go, ma'am, your ball." He gave her one small smile, and Sam answered reaching the ball he offered her and smiled too. Then, Jack reached for the other ball. And the instant he held it, both spheres started glowing.

* * *

The "spirits" were surprised by the intensity of the shining. This was the first time in a long time that any human had come to visit their city. Many had come beforehand to attempt to figure out what the altar meant and what exactly that test was, but no one was able to make it work. This was the first time the keys were here in a long time. The humans that had arrived had done a good job. They hadn't come to see if they could find something here that could be useful for them. No, they had come with the specific task of finding what the altar had to say to them. Maybe the two holding the keys were the ones the prophecy spoke of.

* * *

"Where do we put them, Daniel?" Sam asked.

"Here, Carter, don't you see?" Jack said pointing to the two holes. "It's really simple. Look."

Jack walked to the altar and put the ball in the hole. Instantly, the altar started vibrating as if some sort of mechanism had been started. "Wow," Jack said. "Now it's your turn, Carter."

"Yes, sir."

Sam went and put her sphere in the other hole that was across the place where the General had put his ball. Immediately, the altar started making some weird noise. It was loud, very loud.

"IS THIS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN?" Daniel yelled.

"I DON'T KNOW, DANIEL," Jacob answered.

Suddenly, a light appeared from nowhere and started scanning the visitors. After a while, Sam and Jack disappeared.

"Where are they?" Jonas asked in astonishment.

"I think they are going to do the test," Daniel said calmly.

"I believe, Daniel Jackson, that you should continue translating what the altar says."

"Why?" Jonas asked again, recuperating his composure.

"We don't know where they are, Jonas Quinn, and the altar might say something significant."

"**You are right, Teal'c. We must finish the translation,"** Anise said.

* * *

"Where are we?" Sam asked.

"I don't know, but be careful, Carter."

"Yes, sir," Sam turned to get her zat, but she didn't have it. Neither one had their weapons. They were unarmed in a strange place.

"Okay," Jack said. "We don't have our weapons, not even our knives!" He was frustrated. "Any ideas, Carter?"

"I don't know, sir," Sam said looking around.

They were in a circular room. The walls didn't have any writing or marks. There was no sign of a possible exit, but light was coming from somewhere.

"Maybe we should wait and see what happens."

"Maybe we should try to find a way to get out of here!" Jack almost shouted. "Perhaps that's what the test is about," he finished irritated.

"Sir, the walls are even. The construction is perfect," she said touching one of them.

"I don't feel any defect in them. They are, as I said, smooth." Sam looked at him, "I don't believe there's a door here."

"Then how did we get here, Carter?"

"Teletransportation, Sir?" Sam suggested. She was tired. He was pacing the room which was making her nervous. "Sir, please."

"Carter?" Jack was angry.

Why did this sort of thing always happen to him? Why wasn't Daniel stuck in here? Why him? Why Carter? Why was he the one that was put in a room alone with Carter?_ Why?_

"Can you stop pacing, sir? You're making me nervous," she said with a shy smile.

Jack looked at her puzzled for a moment, and then realized what he was doing. "Sorry, Carter. I didn't realize," he said and sat down on the cold floor.

She looked at him and went to sit near him. Not very near but near.

"I want to thank you again, sir, for bringing dad today," she said not looking at him.

"I told you, Carter, it was nothing."

Sam looked at him through the corner of her eyes, "What do you think about the balls, sir?"

Jack looked at her thoughtfully. Brown eyes met blue eyes. Nothing was said.

Sam saw hurt and -- love? She knew her marriage was killing him, but he didn't say anything when she asked him about "them" the night-morning she showed him Pete's ring.

And then she thought she saw love. Did he still care about her?

Jack saw in those beautiful eyes hurt. She was hurting? Why? She was going to get married to a man that, although didn't deserve her, made her "hum." Why was she hurting herself?

Then deep inside her baby-blue eyes he saw -- love? Did she have those kinds of feelings for him?

"I don't know, Sam," Jack said in a whisper. His eyes were soft. "I really don't want to know what the shining means."

"Why?" she asked softly not looking away from his gorgeous brown eyes.

"Because I have the feeling it will only hurt us," Jack looked away. "And I don't want to see you harmed in any way," he said in a really low voice.

"Jack," Sam said.

Instantly, Jack looked at her, and the intensity she saw in his eyes shocked her.

He was surprised; she never called him by his name. He was always "Sir" or "Colonel," well, "General" now. And his heart melted. He had dreamt of hearing her say his name like this and in this way -- and other names, but he wasn't going to think of that now -- in a soft and sweet voice.

There were feelings there, and her eyes told him everything as his eyes did to her. Jack could see her soul, and Sam could see his. She loved him, and he loved her. But that wasn't enough. They couldn't express their love; that was forbidden.

Suddenly, a woman appeared from nowhere.

"Noo ani Anqueetus (we are the Ancients)," she said in the Ancient's language. Then, she started talking in English.

"You have passed the first test. You are nearer to finding what you are looking for. But let me tell you something," the Ancient made a pause, "for your next test, you will need more than just your feelings for each other. Proof will be required."

* * *

In the meantime"Did you find something, Dr. Jackson?"Malek asked. 

"It says here that the hearts of the chosen ones will be tested," Daniel said slowly. He was translating directly.

"The hearts?" Jacob asked.

"Yes, weird. Don't you think?" Jonas said smiling.

"You know, if Jack's and Sam's heart are tested, anything can happen," Daniel said.

"Indeed," Teal'c said. "But I believe they will pass the test."

"**Why are you so sure?"** Anise asked.

"O'Neill and Colonel Carter have strong feelings for each other. I believe that is what is being tested."

"_General O'Neill,"_ Hammond's voice said.

"George, it's Jacob. Jack isn't available at the moment."

"_Jacob?"_ a concerned voice asked.

"He and Sam activated some sort of device and disappeared," Jacob explained.

"_You don't know where they are?"_

"Actually, sir," Daniel began, "we assume they are safe. Jack said the spirits wouldn't hurt us," Daniel looked at Jacob with a face that said 'what else can I say'.

"_The spirits?"_ a voice even more puzzled said.

"George, we think they are being tested. So don't worry."

"_Tested?"_

"Yes, General," Jonas said. "The chosen ones have to pass a test to receive the next clue."

"And Jack and Sam are the chosen ones, George."

"Okay, Jacob. I will call again in an hour expecting an appropriate answer. I can't call the President and tell him 'Well, sir, the CO of the base and the CO of SG-1 are lost, but they are safe. The spirits said so,' can I?"

"No, George. You can't."

"Hammond out."

"Do you think we'll have to wait long?" Jonas asked.

"Jack is the one that's being tested. So it's possible that we could be here for a long time," Daniel said smiling.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: from this chapter onI will change the rating to mature. It's only one paragraph the "problem" in this chapter and well the story might start getting "hotter". I hope you enjoy it.

Probably I will post again between Wensday or Thursday. Thanks for all the reviews and thank you Alicia (again)

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XVI

"Wait a second," Jack said. "You want proof? What kind of proof?"

"We do not need proof right now," the woman said peacefully. "In the next step of your test, it will be required."

"What kind of proof?" Jack asked again.

"That will be disclosed to you when the moment arrives, Jack," she said smiling.

"You know my name?"

"That's how your beloved called you."

"My beloved?"

"Sam," the woman said smiling to her.

"Carter?" Jack asked seeming surprised. Although, deep inside him, he wasn't at all surprised. "She isn't my beloved. She is my 2IC."

"I'm not your 2IC anymore, sir. Colonel Reynolds is" Sam said softly.

Jack looked at her baffled. "Okay. Former 2IC, but you're still a junior officer in my chain of command. So you can't be my beloved."

"That doesn't mean you can't love her, Jack," the woman said.

Both humans looked at her.

Then Sam asked, "How do you know?"

"We know how your hearts feel. This room is only for lovers. It is only for mates, for couples, for a woman and a man that have shared their hearts and their souls. This room only allows soul mates to enter. Only two creatures that are one can activate the altar."

"We are not lovers," was the only thing Jack said.

"You are," the woman said again serenely. "There's a connection between you two that only lovers have."

"We are not lovers," Jack said again. He is stubborn after all.

"Jack, the room only allows lovers inside. So you must be."

"We have never slept together," Jack said adamantly. "We have shared a tent but never a bed. That's forbidden."

"Sir, we did share a bed," Sam said quietly.

Jack looked at her surprised, "We did?"

The woman smiled at Sam, nodding.

"Jona and Thera" was the only thing Sam said.

Jack realized at the moment that she was right. They had made love when they were in that ice planet, but they weren't them. They were Jona and Thera.

"That doesn't count."

"Why Jack?" the Ancient woman asked. She was amazed by these humans. They loved each other, but they didn't say it out loud. They didn't want the rest of the universe to know about their feelings. They were really strange. Why would someone who had found the greatest treasure a creature could ever desire want to keep it hidden? To make it disappear?

"Because we weren't ourselves," Jack said. "We were Jona and Thera, not Colonel and Major."

"You were yourselves," the woman said with a sincere smile.

Jack was losing his patience. Why did this woman keep on forcing the issue? I know we made love there. I know I loved her there and that she loved me. But if we had been Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter, we would never have made love.

"No," Jack said. "If we had been ourselves, we would never have jumped each other. I respect Colonel Carter much more than I respect any other officer, much more than I respect myself! I would never do anything to hurt her, and I would never have made love to her while she is in my chain of command."

Sam looked at him. He was talking seriously. Would he make love to her if they weren't in the same chain of command? Oh, Sam, you shouldn't be thinking this. You're getting married to another man! I know, but remember that I'm not sure if I'm making the right choice. Sam was arguing with herself.

"But you did share your souls, Jack. Perhaps you weren't yourself at the moment, but something of you remained in you during that experience," the Ancient tried to explain.

The male was obstinate. He didn't have an open mind about this issue. His heart was hurting about something, but They didn't know what was making him feel that way. He was intelligent, very intelligent, and he had the Ancient gene. That was what made him so special. Also, it wasn't bad that he had the knowledge of Them in his brain.

"Feelings," Sam said. "The feelings remain."

The female on the other hand, was a different case. She did see the whole matter with open eyes. She was hurting too. She was also very intelligent, and what was special in her was the protein in her blood.

The combination of the gene and the protein was responsible for the intensity of the glowing. They might be the ones the prophecy talks about the Ancient woman thought.

Jack sighed with frustration. He had spent many nights trying to forget the feeling of Thera, well, Sam, under him. The taste of her skin and mouth. The pleasure of having her, of moving inside her, of making her come. The feeling of her hands on his body. And now, this woman was telling them that they were lovers, that they were soul mates. Jack had dreamt of that since the moment he realized how he felt about his, at the time, 2IC. And he had tried to suppress, deny all his feelings. And now, this woman comes and says they were in love. As if things were just that simple for them.

"It really doesn't matter," Jack said. "You must understand that although we shared a bed for a while, we don't do that at the moment. We are not lovers. We can't be lovers" Jack finished resigned.

The Ancient smiled, "We know that, Jack, but that doesn't matter for the moment. You have passed this test. You have realized that you love each other. You haven't said it out loud, but your hearts know it, and that is all that matters for now."

Sam looked at her. She realized that this was a battle that they couldn't win because the Ancient was right. They loved each other when they were Jona and Thera, and they love each other now. It was true that they couldn't act on their feelings, but they were there.

"What happens now?" she asked.

"You will rejoin your friends"

"What about the clue to find the place where the second test is?"

"The altar will tell you all you need to know," she said smiling and then disappeared.

"Great," Jack said. He was really in a bad mood.

* * *

In the interim

"**I believe you are underestimating General O'Neill a great deal, Dr. Jackson,"** Selmak said.

"Really?" Daniel asked.

"The General is a very intelligent man." 

"Selmak, it's Jack we're talking about."

"**Dr. Jackson, you must not believe all you see. General O'Neill is a very special man."**

"I don't suppose you will tell us why you are so sure, Selmak, would you?" Jonas asked.

"Jacob says that he will not betray Jack O'Neill." 

"I believe Selmak is right, Daniel Jackson. O'Neill is far more intelligent than what he lets us see," Teal'c said. "He is certainly a great strategist and warrior."

"If you say so," Daniel said. "Oh, look the writings are changing!" he exclaimed excited.

"**It appears that General O'Neill and Colonel Carter have passed the test,"** Anise said.

"**We must begin to translate what it says,"** Malek stated.

"Yes," four voices said at the same time.

* * *

In the same moment on Earth

"So, Pete, where do we make the report?" Pete's mother asked.

"I believe we should make it to the General of the Air Force Academy. He will know what to do. We can't go to Hammond because they are his friends, but I don't believe the other General has the same relationship with them."

"How do we do that?"

"I'll call the Academy first thing tomorrow morning, mom. I will make sure the Joint Chiefs know about what is happening on that base. They will know what kind of officers Sam and O'Neill are."


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: This isn't the chapter I was planning wrtiing initially but this is what my heart wanted to write. Here you have the first conversation Selmak and Jack will have and what Sam think about the hole experience.

I think I will post again after Christmas so happy holidays for the ones that have them. I have to work on the 25th.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XVII

Jack and Sam were transported again to the ruins. Everybody almost died of a heart attack by the surprise. (Yeah, as if that was possible for the Tok'ra!)

"Jack, Sam!" Daniel exclaimed. "You're alive!"

"Of course, we're alive Spacemonkey," Jack said. Instantly everyone present knew he was in a really bad mood. "I told you that they would never hurt us."

"So, Sam, Jack, you passed the test," Jacob said with a big grin.

"Yes, Dad," Sam said looking at him tiredly. She was exhausted. It had been a really long day.

"What did you have to do?" Jonas asked excitedly.

"Nothing," Jack said. "We didn't do anything."

Everyone looked at him with a "you're kidding me; right?" face.

"The General is right," Sam said looking at the altar with interest. "But the next test will be more difficult. So did you find anything new?"

"**You didn't do anything?"** Malek asked.

"It was a sort of chartacter test, Malek" Sam said.

"Sam, you look tired," Jacob said. "Why don't you go and sleep for a while? We have a lot to do here, and you don't know the language. So your presence isn't really necessary."

"Oh, thanks, Dad," Sam said sarcastically. "I really appreciate to know that I am not required, that I'm useless."

"I didn't want it to sound like that Sam, but you are tired. So go and sleep," Jacob said smiling. His daughter had never learned to stop when she was tired. "We will wake you the moment we find something important."

"Yeah, dad," Sam said. "Sir?"

"Go, Carter."

Jack didn't look at her. He hadn't looked at her since the Ancient woman appeared. Sam nodded and went to her tent to rest.

Once Sam disappeared, Selmak spoke.

"General O'Neill I wish to talk to you" 

"Yeah, I remember that," Jack said looking at Jacob. "Come on. Let's have a walk." Jack started walking to a group of trees that were near. Selmak followed him.

Once they arrived and were alone, and they were certain that they were alone, Jack said, "So, what do you want to talk about Selmak?"

"General, I --" 

"Please, Selmak, call me Jack. We've known each other for some years now," he said smiling.

"**As you wish, Jack,"** Selmak said smiling. She really liked this human. He was different from Dr. Jackson but very similar to Jacob. He was also a very perceptive and sensible man. He had values that he would defend to the death, and he had a really marvelous instinct.

"So," Jack said impatience.

"Jack I believe we should have a talk about Samantha." 

"What about Carter?" Jack knew Selmak wanted to talk about "them."

"**I've seen a lot of things in my life, Jack. Remember I'm the wisest and older of the Tok'ra. I know when someone has strong feelings for another person."** Selmak was trying to tell him that he knew about the feelings Sam and he share without telling him directly.

"**Samantha is a very special woman, Jack."**

"You don't have to tell me that, Selmak. Carter has saved my butt a _lot_ of times," Jack began saying.

"**I am not talking about Samantha the soldier or doctor, I am talking about Samantha the woman, Jack,"** she said with an evil smile.

"Oh," Jack said not looking at her, "I see."

"Jack, I think you should tell me what the test consisted of." 

"Selmak, I don't know," Jack said hesitating. "I'm still trying to understand what happen there."

"**Tell me, Jack," **she said in a very calm voice. **"I may be able to help you. Sometimes two minds think better than one,"** Selmak finish with a big smile.

Jack laughed. Selmak was really trying to make him talk. He really appreciated this Tok'ra. To be honest, this was the only snake he cared for and respected. He liked Jacob. He had a good sense of humor, and Selmak had one too. She really was worth it and had done a lot to demonstrate that she cared about the humans. Of course, it did matter that Jacob was her host, but she was someone that Jack had grown to appreciate.

Jack decided to play along. Perhaps she was right, talking could work for him. He had a lot of things buried inside, and Selmak/Jacob were good friends. Yes, he was the father of the woman that was causing all the things she was causing him and a Major General, but he had acted the way Jack really wished he could act. He had treated Pity Pete as garbage, as nothing, as something inferior, as someone not worthy of Sam, his Sam.

"The thing is, is that the Ancients think we are lovers," he said as if that wasn't important.

Selmak looked at him surprised.

- Did he say lovers?

- Easy, Jacob. We don't want to worry the poor man. He seems distressed enough about the situation.

"Why did the Ancients think that?" 

Jack didn't looked at them. He wasn't going to tell Jacob that he had slept with his little girl. He wasn't stupid. So he acted like he was thinking about that.

After a moment he said, "They, well, the woman, said that there was a connection between us that only soulmates share."

"**That is interesting,"** Selmak said.

- See, you don't have to worry, Jacob. They aren't lovers. The General would never touch you daughter while he is her CO.

- Oh, great! You are telling me that he would touch her if they weren't in the same chain of command?

- Jacob, you have to decide if you want them to be together or not.

- I want my baby to be happy, but I don't like the idea of any man touching her.

"I, too, believe there's a connection between the two of you, Jack." 

"Really?" Jack said, looking at Selmak for the first time.

"Jack, Samantha and you have been through a great many things together. There will always exist a connection between you as it exists between all the members of SG-1."

"Yeah, Selmak, but this woman didn't mean it that way."

"Of course, she didn't. She has seen what everybody else sees. You two belong together, Jack. And no matter what happens, that will never change."

Jack looked at the camp. He looked at the tent where Carter was resting.

"She is getting married, Selmak, to another man. To a man that doesn't know her, doesn't understand her, doesn't love her t-" Jack stopped mid sentence.

"**The way you love her, Jack?"** Selmak said seriously.

Jack looked at her and saw understanding in her eyes. She would never betrayed him. Jacob would never betrayed him.

"Yeah," was the only thing he said.

"**I want to know something, Jack, well, not only I, Jacob wants to know as well,"** Selmak said smiling. Jack smiled too.

"What do you want to know?"

"Why are you letting her marry to a man that she doesn't love?" 

"That's were you are wrong, Selmak. Sam loves Shannahan. He can make her 'hum,'" Jack said resigned.

"**That doesn't mean she loves him more than she loves you."**

"Carter loves me more than, what? She loves him?" Jack asked with a dry smile.

"Yes, Jack. Samantha is in love with you. I knew the first time I saw you together. She loves you more than anything," Selmak said. She was telling the truth. The first time she saw them together, she felt the huge attraction that tied the two officers. And then, she saw the glances and knew that it was a lot more than a mere attraction, that there was love. Jacob hadn't wanted to listen to her, but she was sure they loved each other.

"Jack, I know that what you two feel for each other has only grown through the years."

"Selmak, I know what Sam feels about me, but that doesn't mean anything," Jack said giving up. "I can't do anything. Okay? I can't go and tell her, 'don't get married to that cop. You're killing me by doing it.' I can't. The regulations will always exist, and," Jack looked at her, "I want her to be happy. That's the only thing I want," Jack told her.

Seeing that she was going to say something about him, he said, "I know this will kill me, Selmak. I know I won't have anything to look forward to, but it doesn't matter as long as she is happy."

Selmak looked at this man. He really deserved Sam's love.

"We believe she is making a huge mistake. She is giving up her dreams by marrying this man."

"Giving up her dreams? What are you talking about?"

"**Jacob told me about the time when he wanted his daughter to enter the thing you call NASA and thought that she had given up her dreams doing the thing your cover-up story says she does. He told me that Samantha had dreamt all her life of going to space, and that he was really happy and proud when he discovered what she did for leaving. We believe that by marrying this man, she is trying to replace you, Jack,"** Selmak said looking at him to see his reaction.

Jack looked at her. He couldn't understand why was she telling him all of these things.

"Are you trying to kill me faster?" he shouted. "I really don't want to hear this. You think that telling me that she is trying to replace me because we can't be together is helping me?"

Jack was lost. His mind and heart were hurting. She didn't love that man? Why was she marrying him? Did she really think that Shannahan and he were alike? Huh, that was a really good insult.

"**Jack, what I am trying to tell you is that you have to talk to her. Tell her what you feel. The regulations can change, especially for you. Think about this, please,"** was the last thing Selmak said before leaving him alone.

* * *

Sam entered the tent she shared with Teal'c and sat on the floor. She was tired, but what she really wanted to do was think about everything that had happened today. This had been a very long night. First the rehearsal dinner. Pete's family was really a pain in the ass. His mother, who the hell did she think she was! She had never met his mother before, and she really didn't like her, that possesive and obssesive woman. She was really disgusting.

Now that she was thinking about this, Pete acted like her on some ocasions. On a lot of occasions, actually. Pete was other thing. He really didn't like her friends. He didn't trust them, and the way he had seen Jack, no the General, when he arrived, was really disgusting.

The General, on the other hand, was another thing. She knew he didn't like and trust Pete, but he knew how to hide his feelings. He always knew how to do that. He was black ops after all. He had been a gentleman when he defended her from the claws of that witch. He was adorable when he went mad. And then, he let Mark came to the base. Of course, he always has to do something to ruin it all. Why did he tell Mark about the spheres?

But, well, now, that wasn't important. What was important was the whole experience in that room. The Ancient woman said that in the next test, a proof would be required. The question now was what kind of proof?

Sam could only think of one thing. She was sure their love would be tested, but how? Their love, no, feelings, had been tested a lot over the years and during the last year more than usual. Her engagement to Pete was a BIG test, and, well, they have passed it. Not in the way two Air Force officers should have passed it, but the way two people that love each other passed it. Their feelings were still there and had grown.

She had seen them in his eyes, and she was sure he had seen them in hers. She loved Jack more than anything, and she had made a decision.

She wasn't going to marry Pete. Of course, she knew breaking up with him would be difficult, and the possible relationship that she might have with her CO most probably would ruin her career. But it was worth it. He was worth it.

Sam smiled before going to sleep. She really was looking forward to seeing what the next test was about.

* * *

Daniel looked as Jack and Selmak left, and Sam went to the tent.

"They are really acting strange. I wonder what really happened there."

"They do not want to talk about it, Daniel Jackson. Do not press them," Teal'c said.

"I want to know, Teal'c," Daniel insisted.

"I believe Teal'c is right, Daniel," Jonas said. "Now, we must see what the altar says."

"**Here,"** Anise pointed to one of the walls. **"There was nothing written here before."**

"Let me see" Daniel said and began translating.

After a half and hour, he said, "Well, I think I know what it says."

"Really, Danny?" Jack was coming back from the woods.

"Yes, Jack. We have a new address," Daniel said smiling.

"Okay, people." Jack started giving orders. "Jacob, go and get Carter. I will contact the SGC. The rest start preparing. We're leaving towards our new destination."

Everybody did as they were ordered.


	18. Chapter 18

Here it is, chapter 18. Perhaps it is not what you wanted but I have to write this because it is needed for the next chapters.

Let me tell you that I invented some names here as General Ford and Admiral Garibaldi, they are my creation, as was Terrin and all the other names that appeared or will appeared in the story that you do not know from the series.

I hope you had a very nice Christmas.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XVIII

"Unschedual off world activation."

"Close the iris," Hammond ordered.

"It's SG-1's code, sir."

"Open it."

"We are receiving an image and audio from the MALP."

"General Hammond, Sir," Jack said to the camara.

"Jack!" George exclaimed. He had been worried about them.

"Sir, we have news for you."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, sir. Carter and I have passed the first test."

"That's good, Jack. What did you have to do?" Hammond asked. He was supposed to inform the President the minute they discovered something.

"As Carter said to Malek, it was a character test," Jack stated seriously.

"Character? I guess it was interesting," Hammond said smiling. Jack didn't look at all happy. In fact, George got the impression that the young General was hoping this "quest" would finish soon.

"I wouldn't say so, sir," Jack said wanting to change the theme of conversation. Although, he knew he would have to talk about it sooner or later. "Daniel has finished translating the new writings that appeared in the rocks and found a new address. So we're going there now."

"Do you know the new address, Jack?"

"No, sir, but I will call you as soon as we arrive there," Jack said to the camara.

After a while, "Sir, I think we might have a problem."

He didn't want to tell Hammond what he was going to tell him via a MALP, but it was neccesary. Earth needed to know, and they needed to know if they could do anything the Ancients may ask them to do.

"What kind of problem, son?" George saw the worried face Jack wore. He knew that he was really concerned about something.

"You remember that Carter said that mates are the only ones that can activate the Keys?"

"Yes, Jack, I know that as does the President."

"Yeah, well, that was what the test was about."

"About mates?" Hammond asked. He could see where all this was heading and didn't look forward to hearing it.

Jack looked at the MALP's camara and smiled. It wasn't A smile. It was a tiny smile. "The Ancients have the idea that Carter and I are lovers," Jack stopped. He was searching for the correct words to say next.

On Earth the entire control room was quiet. The silence that filled the room was incredible. Everyone present was waiting anxiously for the next words from the base commander.

Jack ran a hand through his grey hair. "I told them that we weren't. That it was forbidden, but they said that we have a connection only lovers share."

Jack paused again. He was going to tell the SGC what he told Selmak/Jacob about the test. They didn't need to know the other things. "It seems that in the next test some kind of proof will be needed," Jack continued.

"Proof?" Hammond asked the question the entire base was thinking or was going to think. "What kind of proof?"

"We don't know, sir. They didn't tell us," Jack said, "but, sir, what do we do?"

"About what, Jack?"

"Sir, these people believe that Carter and I are involved in a romantic relationship," Jack said then sighed. Why did he had to explain this? "What do we do if they ask for something we can't give them?"

Hammond realized what he was asking, "Jack, I understand what you're saying, but the knowledge this city might have is very important."

"I know, sir, but we have regulations."

"Yes, son. I'll talk to the President about this. Call back when you arrive at your next destination. Hopefully by that time, I will have some answers for you."

"Thank you, sir. O'Neill out." That was the last thing Jack said before the comunication finished.

"I will be talking to the President in Jack's office if you need me," Hammond said going to his former office.

"Yes, sir," was the only answer he received.

Once Hammond left the room, "What do you think the proof will be?" Walter asked.

"I don't know, but the General wasn't happy," Siler said.

* * *

"Sam," Jacob said going inside Sam's tent, "are you awake?"

"I am now, Dad," a sleepy Sam said. "Did you find something?"

"We're leaving. Daniel has a new address."

"Okay." Sam stood up and started preparing to leave when Jacob said, "How are you doing, kiddo?"

Sam looked at her father thoughtfully. "I'm fine, Dad. Everything is fine."

"Jack told me what happened."

"He did?" Sam asked interested.

"Yes," Jacob didn't look in her eyes when aswering.

- Perhaps she will tell us something more.

- I don't believe so, Jacob.

- Why?

- I'm sure Samantha knows you are searching in the dark.

"What do you think?" Sam asked knowing that her father didn't have all the information. Jack wouldn't tell him all.

"I think the Ancients are right. You belong together."

She looked at her father. "You don't think this is wrong? After all, he is my CO."

"Sam, I only wish for you to be happy."

"I am happy."

Jacob was about to contradict her when, "Jacob, Sam, come on!" They heard Daniel yell.

-Dr. Jackson has very good timing, don't you think?

-Selmak, Daniel is….

"We are coming, Daniel," Sam answered. "Come on, Dad. We don't want to make the General wait. And don't worry about me, I'm fine."

Once the camp was broken down, they went to the Gate and "called" the new place.

* * *

In the General's office at the SGC

"Son, I know it's late," Hammond said to the red phone looking at the clock. It was 0400 hours. "But this is urgent, so please put the President at the phone."

Hammond had been thinking about what to say to his Commander in Chief for awhile now. He wasn't entirely sure, but he promised Jack some answers soon.

"Sir, I'm sorry to wake you, sir," Hammond began, "but Jack called from their first destination to let us know their status, and you wanted to know how things were going," Hammond began saying. "Yes, sir, everything is fine. Apparently they found a new address and at the moment we speak are going there……………… Yes sir, they did have to pass a test………..as General O'Neill said it was a character test, sir…………………..Yes, sir, I know, but that was what Jack told me. He didn't want to talk much about the matter via the MALP. I'm sure he will put it all in his report, the same applies to Colonel Carter……………………there is another thing, sir…………….you remember what Jack told you about the spheres, that they identified mates……………..Yes, sir, well, it appears that the Ancients……………the ones that built the Stargate and these balls, sir…………… well, the Ancients believe that Jack and Sam…………Colonel Carter, sir………………..they believe that our two officers are involved in a romantic way," Hammond smiled.

The President knew that the General and the Colonel had feelings for each other. The rumors of what happened in the mountain always reached the White House. "We know they aren't……………….Jack told me that he told them that they weren't……………… Well, the problem is that it seems that in the next step of their search some kind of proof will be needed………………………..they don't know, sir……………….The thing is that Jack wants to know what they should do if the proof the Ancients required is forbidden by the Regulations."

Hammond knew the President would be shocked by this_. He_ was shocked, and he had been the head of the base for seven years! The situation was difficult. Could they be authorized to commit actions that were forbidden by the Air Force regulations? Could they say "yes" to something that Hammond believed was Jack's dream only because the Ancients asked it? What would happen when this experience was over? Could the two officers go back to the relationship they had before? God knows that their relationship was already awkward after some of the things they have lived through together, like Edora or the Zatarc incident or that ice planet. What Sam would do? After all, she was getting married. And the big question was: What if there were consequences? What if the whole "thing" left a "gift"? Of course that was if the "gift" was what he, George, was thinking about.

"I understand, sir…………I will tell Jack to not do anything til I hear from you…………. Yes, sir" Hammond hung up. They would wait until it was necessary.

* * *

After hanging up the phone, President Hayes called his Chief of Staff.

"Ernie, call the Joint Chiefs. Tell them that we have an urgent matter to discuss. We're meeting in 30 minutes in my office."

"Henry?" The First Lady asked half sleep.

"Don't get up, Laura. I have to go to a meeting."

"Did something happen?"

"Yeah," the President said with a small smile, "but don't worry, nothing bad happened. In fact, perhaps in the end, something good may be achieved. Go back to sleep," he said to his wife while he was dressing.

* * *

On P5X-984

"Okay, campers, let's see what we have here," Jack said. He wasn't in a good mood, but they still had a long, long journey. So he decided to act as if he was in a good mood.

This planet was very different from the one they where before. It was a desert planet, like the ones the Tok'ra choose.

"**This is a very nice planet,"** Malek said smiling.

"**Yes, it is, Malek,"** Anise said. **"But where is the place of the next test?"**

"Perhaps you can contact the SGC so they send a UAV, Jack. What do you think?" Jacob said.

"Yeah," Jack sighed at the view. "Set up camp here while I contact the base. Then, we'll sleep for a while. Carter, you'll have the first watch."

"Yes, sir," Sam answered.

The troop began setting up the camp. Everybody was tired. They hadn't slept in 20 hours approximately. Jack started dialing Earth's address.

After a few moments, "General Hammond," Jack said.

"Jack, it's good to hear you. Is everything all right?" Hammond's voice asked.

"It's a really nice sandy planet, sir," Jack said smiling. "We need your help, George."

"What do you need?"

"Perhaps you can send a UAV to scan the planet because we don't see anything in the proximity," Jack said.

"Okay. We'll be sending one in an hour, Jack. Do you need anything else?"

"If we send you the MALP, you can send it back with supplies, water especially."

"Yes, Jack, send it back."

Jack sent back the MALP.

"George, do you have any news for me?"

"Sorry, Jack at the moment I've got nothing. You have got to stay calm. Don't do anything. The President is meeting with the Joint Chiefs to discuss this issue."

"Okay."

"When I have any news, I'll tell you. We'll be sending the UAV and MALP in an hour. Hammond out."

Jack watched as the Gate went off, turned back and went to the camp. Once there, he reached his tent and tried to sleep.

Sam was the only one awake in the entire camp an hour later. She started walking arround, doing the perimeter. The planet wasn't ugly. It was a typical "Tok'ra" planet. She wished they could find some ruins near because, as it seems, the planet was a desert. Perhaps we'll find an oasis, she thought.

* * *

Meanwhile an important meeting was taking place in the Oval Office.

"Sir, excuse me, but you're saying that the Tok'ra found some balls that only shine when General O'Neill and Colonel Carter hold them at the same time?" General Jumper asked.

"Yes, General," the President said. Why did these people have to repeat everything twenty times to understand it? "And the spheres identified the best genetic combinations as I told you before," President Hayes continued.

He had time to think what to say to the Joint Chiefs of what General O'Neill had told him some hours ago without making them believe that the General and the Colonel were breaking the regs. He knew that if he said "mates," things could go wrong, very wrong.

"And Jack and Colonel Carter, had the best genetic combination?" one of the Generals asked.

"From what we know," began an Admiral, "O'Neill has some sort of Ancient gene, and Carter has a protein in her blood that no one else has. That's what makes them different, and that might be the reason why their genetic combination is so strong."

"Jack and Sam," the President continued, "activated some sort of machine that had them take some kind of test." Henry looked at the Generals and Admirals present in his office, "a character test. General Hammond told me our officers passed it."

Some of the Generals smiled. The two greatest military minds the Stargate Command has, had pass a test created by some aliens, some very intelligent aliens. They were proud of their officers.

"Don't take me wrong, sir, I really appreciate this information you are giving us, but I assume there's a problem," General Ford said.

Henry smiled. Perhaps they were slow sometimes, but they could see a storm coming pretty fast.

"Yes, there is a problem. It seems that the Ancients believe that the General and the Colonel are involved in a romantic way," he stopped to see the reactions. Instantly the room tensed.

"These Ancients think they are lovers?"

"Yes."

"But they aren't," said Admiral Garibaldi, hoping his statement was true.

"No, they aren't," President Hayes said. "In fact, Colonel Carter was getting married today."

"Was?"

"She is on a mission on another planet, General, and her groom isn't a member of the SGC. He is a cop," Henry said smiling. The fact that Carter had a relationship outside of her work helped a lot and at the same time didn't.

"You are telling us, sir, that Colonel Carter, Samantha Carter, went on a mission that she knew could take days the day before her wedding?"

"Yes, Colonel Carter left yesterday knowing all that and knowing why the spheres work when Jack and she touched them."

The Joint Chief were impressed. They knew Colonel Carter was a very dedicated woman. They knew she had saved Earth a lot of times. But they never imagined that she would prefer going on a mission than getting married. Maybe she loves her work more than her groom. Maybe she realized this was important and couldn't wait. Maybe there were other reasons.

"The problem is is that the Ancients believe they are lovers," the President continued. They had to find an answer to Jack's worries soon. "And from what we know, the next test will require some kind of proof," Henry stopped. The reactions of the Generals and Admirals were something very funny to see.

"Proof, sir?"

"Yes. Apparently, they will have to do something. So, do you see our problem here?"

Generl Ford stood up, "General O'Neill wants to know what will happen if these Ancients ask them to do something that goes against the Regulations."

"Exactly," the President said smiling.

The room was quiet. Everyone was trying to think of a viable solution. This was a _big_ problem.

"How important is this mission?"

"From what Jack and George had told me," President Hayes said, "it's an Ancient city that they're looking for. Remember that it was an Ancient artifact the one that saved us a year ago."

"So it is very important," Admiral Garibaldi said.

"Let's be realistic, okay. What happens if they have to conceive a baby? We have to keep in mind that perhaps that's the proof the Ancients want. The conception of a new life, a life with the genetic combination of our two officers," General Jumper said.

"That's possible. After all, they are the only ones that can activate those balls," General Ford said. "And if that's the case, what will happen when they return home? Because they would have broken the frat regs."

"That's why we are here," President Hayes said. He had the impression that something good would happen in the meeting. "And we have to reach a decision soon," he said looking at the window. The sun was rising. "They are awaiting our word to continue their mission."

* * *

I think the next chapter will be the last one till I return from my holidays around January 23th. Next chapter will be long, perhaps two chapters in one, I am writing it at the moment, so well see.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: this is a shorter chapter than I have thought I could write for you, but my muse has gone, I think she is camping as I will in a week more or less, jeje. Iwanted to write about the second test before I leave butas I said, the muse had gone camping a week before my trip. I will try to write something this days before I leave but I can't promise anything, so if I don't post before the 4th , I won't post till I am back the 23th.

I wish you all a Happy New Year.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XIX

"SG-1, do you hear me?" Hammond's voice said.

"General Hammond, we hear you loud and clear, sir," Sam answered.

"Colonel Carter, we are sending the UAV and MALP."

"Understood, sir," Sam stood up from where she was sitting and went to wake the others up.

It was time to begin the activities for the day.

* * *

"So have you got any news, George?" Jack asked the camara of the MALP some time later. 

"Jack, you don't have to worry. The only thing you have to do is complete the mission and bring as much as you can of any important information or technology. Understood?" Hammond asked.

"Yes, sir," Jack understood exactly what he meant. They could do whatever crazy thing the Ancients asked them to do.

"Did the UAV showed anything?"

"There seems to be an oasis ten clicks southwest from your actual position, Jack. The images showed that there is some kind of construction there."

"Okay, sir. We'll be heading that way. O'Neill out."

* * *

It was 8 am when Pete woke up. He had decided to make a report about the improper relationship that Sam had with her CO. His mother was right. He had to teach Sam that he was the man of the house. He would make the decisions. 

He knew what he liked about Sam. She wasn't afraid of his work. She wasn't scared that something could happen to him. She was a soldier. Her life was in danger a lot of times. She also was beautiful. Her body was great, and she was full of energy. But she was too independent. She liked to do things her way. But the worst part was the kind of relationship she had with her teamates and the General.

The way she was around Daniel was making him crazy. Sam and Daniel were very close, too close for Pete's liking. If she hadn't told him that she considered Daniel her brother, he would have thought that they were having an affair or something like that. The nastiest thing of their close friendship was that everytime that Pete would approach them while they were talking, they always stopped, as if they couldn't continue their conversation with him there! He was intelligent enough to understand what they were talking about. Every time he told that to Sam, her answer was that they were talking about something classified and that he didn't have clearance. That made Pete mad, very mad.

Then there was the alien. Pete didn't like him, and Teal'c didn't hide his dislike either. He knew the alien disapproved of Sam's choice. He knew Teal'c saw him as a weak man, a man that wasn't like O'Neill.

Then you have this man, Jonas Quinn. Pete didn't know what to think of him. He was strange and didn't look to happy with the idea of Sam marrying him.

Pete thought all Sam's teammates were against his relationship with Sam, and he wasn't far from the truth.

Finally, there was O'Neill. The man was a difficult case to read. In fact, Pete couldn't tell what was going on his mind when he was looking at him. He had never seen any emotion in Sam's CO until yesterday when his mom had grabbed Sam's arm. Pete had been shocked by how much strengh he showed. The man was obviously very sure of himself. Sam respected him too much. Pete was sure she respected her CO more than him, and that was making him mad. She would do what O'Neill said but not what he, Pete, said. She would learn that from now on, she would be doing everything he said, no matter what her precious General told her.

Pete entered the kitchen.

"Honey, here you go," Patricia said, giving Pete a dish full of pancakes. This is the kind of woman you need dear, she thought, a woman that would serve you, a woman that lives for you.

"Thanks, mom."

"You're going to the Air Force Academy?"

"Yes, I'll talk to the General. I'll teach Sam that she can't play with me anymore."

"That's the right thing to do, sweetie. She needs to understand that she will have to stay home to feed you and the babies."

* * *

At the same time a plane was landing on the Air Force base. 

Some minutes later General Jumper, General Ford and Admiral Garibaldi, part of the Joint Chiefs, were greeted by Major General George Hammond.

"Sirs," George saluted.

"George, it's good to see you," General Jumper said.

"It's good to see you too, sir. May I ask why are you visiting us?"

"We came here to see that everything goes all right with Jack's mission," Admiral Garibaldi said.

"And to give advice if necessary," Ford declared.

"We are glad to have you here. Please follow me. We need to go to another place before heading to the SGC."

* * *

Pete asked to see the Base's General when he arrived the Academy saying that he had an urgent matter to discuss. When the airman told him that the General was busy, he told the kid that he wanted to talk about two officers that had broken the frat. regs. The young man immediately called his superior. 

Some minutes later a Major came looking for Pete and took him to the General's office. To Pete's surprise, when the door opened, he not only found the Academy's General but General Hammond and the three members of the Joint Chiefs.

"Detective Shannahan," Hammond said surprised.

"General Hammond" Pete said dryly. "Sirs, I wanted to talk to you about General O'Neill and Colonel Carter," he said with an evil smile.

General Jumper looked at the man from head to toe. He didn't like him. Admiral Garibaldi and General Ford didn't like him either. There was something in Pete's tone and posture that showed he was looking for revenge.

"Come in and sit, please" General Jumper said.

"Thank you, General," Pete said sitting in the chair that the General showed him.

"Who are you?" the Admiral asked. He knew who Pete was but wouldn't give him the pleasure of knowing they knew him.

"I'm Detective Pete Shannahan, sir. Samantha Carter's fiancé."

General Ford immediately smiled, "She was going to marry you today."

Pete was surprised. They weren't supposed to know that. "How do you know?"

The Generals and Admiral just smiled. Hammond was glad of all the steps he and Jack had made the night before. If they hadn't done that, then most certainly a BIG problem would have happened.

"We are aware of everything that has happened in the life of General O'Neill, Colonel Carter, Dr. Jackson and Mr. Teal'c."

"The four left yesterday because their presence was requested in an important mission."

Pete looked at them. He had come there to make a report, but now, the picture was different. It seemed that the Joint Chiefs knew about everything.

"So you know that they had broken the frat regs," he said searching in the dark.

The only General that looked surprised was the Academy one.

"Why do you say that? Do you have evidence?"

"I've seen how they look at each other and how protective O'Neill was in regards to Sam. But what made me come here today was something O'Neill said to Mark yesterday night."

Hammond smiled. He was there when Jack told Mark what the spheres did.

"First of all, let me tell you that Jack always protects his team. They are his family. Second, General Morrison, could you please leave us alone. This is becoming something classified, and you don't have clearance," George said.

"Yes, of course, sir. You can use the office for all the time you need," he said and left.

"What did Jack tell this Mark guy?" the Admiral asked.

"Mark is Jacob's son," Hammond said. "Jacob and I were present when Jack told Mark that the spheres identified mates."

"Mates?" Jumper asked. The President didn't use that word. "I thought they identified the best genetic combination."

"That's right," George said. "You have to remember that in Nature, mates have the best genetic combination. In the animals it's like that. The strongest share their genes to produce a better offspring; they mate. We have discovered that we, humans, at the beginning, chose our partner in a similar way. The primitive part of our brain identified the member of the opposite sex that had the best genes to mix with our genes."

Pete was surprised. Hammond was talking as if what they were talking about was something without importance.

The Admiral looked at Pete, "You came here to say that Jack and Colonel Carter had broken the frat regs only because Jacob's son told you that the spheres identified mates?"

Pete was furious. These men didn't act at all concerned. They didn't act the way he had wanted. They were talking as if all this was something normal. Pete knew he didn't have evidence, but the only thing he had wanted to do was make the Generals suspicious, so someone would investigate them.

"What other reason would Sam have to end our engagement?"

"She broke up with you?" George asked surprised. He didn't know that and was certain that Jacob and Jack didn't either.

"No. But she postponed it because of her damn mission."

The three Generals and the Admiral smiled. Now, they were sure that Pete was here because he was hurt about the way Sam had operated.

"Son," Jumper said, "Colonel Carter is the world's specialist in her field. You have to understand that she is of great importance. So no matter where she is or what she is doing, if she is needed, she will have to report back when called."

"You're not going to do anything?" Pete was angry.

"There's nothing to do, Detective. They are doing their job, as always," Ford said.

Pete stood up and left the room and base without saying a word.

"Colonel Carter was going to marry that man?" Garibaldi asked surprised. He had thought that the brilliant Colonel had other choices in men.

Hammond smiled, "Sam may be a genius in her field. But when it comes to men, she is lost."

* * *

Pete arrived home 30 minutes later. He was mad. They hadn't listen to him. In fact, they had mocked him. 

"Pete?" his mother asked.

"They are all the same, Mother. They don't care if their officers break the rules."

"They didn't listen to you?"

"Oh, no, they listened, but didn't take me seriously."

Patricia was shocked. The Air Force had always acted in the right way. They were honorable, but now, it appeared to be different.

"What are you going to do?"

Pete smiled evily, "I have an idea."

* * *

After walking for four hours, they reached the oasis. The sun had started to set. 

"Let's set up the camp here," Jack said. They were on the outskirts of the oasis, but they weren't going in at night.

"Teal'c, let's you and I do the perimeter."

Fifteen minutes later, they were ready to spend the night there. It was getting cold pretty fast. So they started a fire.

"Have you seen anything?" Jonas asked.

"We only did the perimeter, Jonas Quinn. We didn't go inside the oasis."

"Tomorrow we're going in," Jack said eating his MRE that tasted like chicken. "Why do they always taste the same? Here it says Mac and cheese, but they taste like chicken," he said looking at the envelope the MREs came in.

Sam smiled. She had missed the nights off world with Jack – no, the General.

Wait a second, why do you continue to call him General when you decided that he is the man for you? Because, first we don't know for sure if he wants to have anything to do with us apart the military relationship. Second, he is our CO. I can't call him by his given name. Jack isn't his given name, Samantha. Jonathan is. A part of her brain smiled, and Sam's face smilied too.

"What's so funny, Sam?" Jake asked. He'd been looking at her for awhile.

"Uh?" Sam was startled. She didn't know what her father was talking about.

"You were smiling," Jacob said smiling at his daughter clueless expression.

"Nothing, Dad. Just thinking."

"You think too much, Carter," Jack said smiling but not looking at her.

"I know, sir," Sam replied. She realized that she'd been talking to herself, again. I think I'm losing my head. That's not true, Samantha. Sam smiled again. Talking to herself was really funny.

"**General Hammond said there was some kind of construction inside the oasis, General O'Neill?"** Malek asked. He didn't like the food the Tauri had given them, but that was the only food they had. So he didn't have a choice.

"Yeah, about 2 clicks from here," Jack said. He looked at the sky. There weren't any stars to watch. He would have to pay attention to the conversation or find something different to do.

"What do you think we will find?" Daniel asked excited.

He always is excited when we go to a planet where we know we'll find some rocks for him, Jack thought looking at him.

Then, he looked at Jonas. The young man had grown a lot since the first time they met. He still continued to smile a lot, but not like before, only in special circumstances. He had adapted well to the presence of Daniel. When he joined SG-1, he had to learn what the archeologist did. And Daniel now was doing his job. Jonas did something related to physics or engeneering at his home planet, I think, Jack thought to himself. He is a very versatile man.

Then Jack looked at Anise. He really didn't like that woman. She had a nice body. But for a long time now, Jack only had eyes for a blue-eyed Doctor or Lt. Colonel. His gazed went to Sam. She was eating her MRE. She looked happy, as if she was having fun. Jack loved this woman. His heart would beat fast every time he saw her or she smiled or she talked. His body reacted like a teenager every time he thought of her or saw her or heard her. He had a very BIG problem. But he was Special Ops, so he could fix that without anyone notice the effect Carter had on him.

"I hope we find something interesting," Jonas said. "Some kind of technology perhaps."

"I hope we find writings," Daniel said.

"I am certain we'll find writings, Spacemonkey."

Jacob looked at her daughter's friends and smiled. They were very different, yet they made a great team.

-That's because they complement each other Jacob.

-Yes, I know. George did a great job.

"**I am sure we will find something that will give us a lot to think about,"** Malek said.

"I think we should go to sleep now" Jacob said. "Tomorrow will be a long day."

"But I'm not sleepy, Dad," Jack said innocently.

Jacob smiled. This man was really a kid at heart. "But, Jack, it's late, and tomorrow you will have to sit and do a test," he said playing.

Jack was smiling all the way until Jacob brought up the test.

"You're right, Jacob. We have to rest. Carter, you and Daniel take the first watch, then Anise and Malek, then Jonas and Jacob and T, you and me, get the last watch."

"Understood, O'Neill."

The ones that didn't have to stay awake went to sleep.

* * *

"So, Sam, tell me. What really happened?" Daniel asked Sam.

"Daniel, I don't want to talk about that."

"Come on, Sam," Daniel insisted.

Sam looked at her friend. He was her best friend. She could tell him.

"They didn't do anything to us. Just let us think."

Daniel looked at her puzzled. He didn't understand.

Sam took pity on Daniel and explained.

"I realized that I am in love with the General, and I think he realized that he is in love with me."

"You said it out loud?"

"No. It was all in our minds, Daniel."

Daniel looked at Sam for a moment, then started talking about the writings they found in the altar at the other planet.

* * *

On Earth

"You are telling me that a General and a Colonel of the Air Force are having an affair and that when you went to make the report, the Generals you talked to didn't look at all surprised?" the reporter asked Pete.

"They weren't simple Generals, Morgan, they were part of the Joint Chiefs. They were General Jumper, General Ford, and Admiral Garibaldi," Pete said with a small smile.

"You told me there were three Generals and an Admiral there. Who was the last one?"

"General George Hammond"

"So what you are saying is that the Joint Chiefs are hiding these two high ranking officers that broke the Fraternization Regulations?"

"What I am saying is that General Jack O'Neill and Lt Colonel Samantha Carter are having an affair and that the Joint Chiefs know about it, and they aren't doing anything about it."

"This is something big, Pete, very big."

"I know."

"I'll talk to my editor and call you back."

Pete smiled, "Morgan, the only thing I want is for you to tell the people what kind of people are in charge in Cheyene Mountain."

"They are in charge of the mountain? I thought the commander of NORAD was someone else."

Pete smiled again, "They are in charge of a special department of NORAD, Morgan."

The reported nodded. He understood that this "special department" meant that they worked in something classified. This was a big story, especially if the Joint Chiefs were involved, which meant that the President knew about this too.


	20. Just a note

This is not a chapter, it's a note. I am back from my holidays but I have bad news for you. During the last days of my camping, it reained, a loooot. All the stuff that I wrote got wet with of course all my clothes and the tent and all our things, so I am trying to rewrite the chapters I wrote but it will take some time. I hope that by the end of the week I could be posting a new chapter.

Maggie


	21. Chapter 20

Well, here you have chapter 20, it is not a large chapter, but I will try to re write all I wrote as soon as posible.**

* * *

**

The other lost city

Chapter XX

The walking was slow, very slow for Jack's liking. The oasis had a lot of plants and trees. It was more like a mini forest in the middle of a desert than an oasis. Of course, the concept Jack had of an oasis was the Earth one, and this was a different planet in a different solar system. So, perhaps, this was the perfect expresion of an oasis in this planet.

All of the "troops" were tense. They hadn't heard any noise during the night, and they hadn't heard any noise now while walking trough the oasis.

"**It's too quiet here,"** Anise said looking around.

"It is," Teal'c said, "but we are being watched."

Daniel, Jonas, Anise and Malek looked at him surprised.

"**We are?"**

"Indeed"

"Do you think the Ancients are the ones watching?" Daniel asked.

"No," Jack said. "It's something else."

"It doesn't matter now who is watching us," Jacob said. He was leading the group. "We must continue walking."

They continued walking for two hours until they stopped to rest.

"**How much more will we'll have to walk?"** Anise asked.

Jack looked at her. Why was she here if she wasn't going to behave like a good little soldier? Daniel hadn't said anything about all the plants and flowers, and he has a lot of alergies!

"How old are you?" he asked

Everyone looked at him surprised.

"**Excuse me?"**

"How old are you?" Jack asked again.

"I don't understand." 

Jack smiled. Obviously, you don't, he thought.

Anise and Malek continued looking puzzled as did Jonas. Sam and Daniel smiled. Only Jack treated the Tok'ra that way. Teal'c raised an eyebrow but then continued watching the surroundings.

Jacob smiled, "It's like a tradition on Earth that all the children when travelling ask, 'Are we there yet?'"

Anise and Malek nodded. Now they understood a bit more. The Tauri had a lot of strange sayings and traditions that they didn't understand completely. Of course, the presence of Jacob helped a lot in the relationship between them.

Jonas smiled. He had missed Jack, altough he wouldn't say that to him or anyone. He had missed his particular sense of humor most of all.

- You know, Jacob, one day O'Neill will be responsible for a big fight between The Tauri and The Tokra if he continues like this.

- Selmak, Jack knows how to behave when necessary. The problem here is that he doesn't like Anise. I think that if she wasn't with us, he would be acting slightly different.

"Sir, it's time to go," Sam said. She had been looking arround and had a feeling that something wasn't right but didn't know what it was.

"Yeah, come on. If we hurry up, perhaps in two days we might be able to see those rocks," Jack said smiling at Anise's shocked face.

* * *

"You're telling me that someone told you that two high ranking officers of the USAF are breaking the frat regs and that the Joint Chief know about it?" The editor of The Gazette Telegraph asked Morgan.

"Yes, Tom, a very good source told me that."

Tom smiled, "Do you have names?"

"Yeah, and at this moment some of the guys are looking for information about them."

"Tell me the names"

"Brigadier General Jack O'Neill and Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter."

"O'Neill," Tom repeated thoughtfully, "I'd heard that name before."

* * *

Some time later they reached the construction. It was only one building. There was nothing else in the surroundings. Daniel was the first one that got near the "big rock"

"It seems like a temple."

"The construction is similar to the Mayans," Jonas said. "Look at those stairs! There must be some sort of altar up there," he exclaimed, pointing to the end of the stairs that was about 20 meters high. He had a big smile on his face.

Daniel looked at where Jonas was pointing, "This is fantastic! But we must find something that tells us more before climbing up there."

"**Look at this,"** Anise said. She was near one of the walls of the temple. "T**here are writings here."**

Jonas and Daniel hurried over to Anise. They were very excited about the building. Jack looked at them. He was always amazed at how Daniel could find his rocks so fascinating. Jack knew a lot of languages, but the writings on the rock never caught his attention. He preferred watching the stars, seeing how marvellous the Universe was. He was, after all, an astronomer. Or he prefered hearing Carter explain all of her discoveries or watching and hearing Carter if he could. Jack smiled, the Ancient woman said Carter loved him.

"What are you smiling at, Jack?" Jacob asked him. Jack was always an interesting specimen to analyze. He was a military man, a special ops man, but the years with SG-1 had softened him. Daniel had been a great influence in Jack, but Sam was responsible for all of the big changes. She was the reason Jack was the person he was now.

"Nothing, Jake, just finding it amusing to watch Danny with Jonas and Anise working together. Last time we had to work with Jonas, there was another snakewoman with us."

Jacob raised his eyebrow in a Teal'c way. Jack shook his head. "Carter," he shouted

"Sir?"

"Do your doohickies say anything?"

Sam smiled, "No, sir. They don't say anything. There's nothing here, apparently, but we never know. The Ancients are really, really intelligent, and we don't understand much of what they do."

"Yeah, Carter, sure. If you say so," he said walking away and automatically started doing the perimeter. "Set the camp, Carter."

* * *

Morgan had been looking for information about O'Neill and Carter and found nothing, as if they didn't exist. He was going to use his last resource, a 'friend' in the FBI when Tom Wallace, his editor, came.

"I know where I heard the name before, Morgan."

Morgan looked at him surprised, "Really?"

"O'Neill was the Air Force officer accused of murdering former Vice-President Kinsey two years ago. He was a Colonel then."

"Do you know something else?"

"No, what have you found?"

"Nothing. There's nothing about them. They don't even have an address here. But I was going to call a friend that works in the FBI. Perhaps he can tell us something."

"If he doesn't, we won't be able to post the story. We need something to tell the people, Morgan."

"I know, Tom. I know"


	22. Chapter 21

Thanks Alicia once again.

**

* * *

**

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXI

Teal'c was doing the perimeter some hours later when the natives appeared. They took him by surprise, and T couldn't do anything. They appeared out of the blue. They had arrows and knives.

"Give us you weapons now," one of them commanded.

Teal'c as always didn't move. He wasn't going to give up his weapon so easily.

"Hi, guys," Jack said.

"Give us your weapons, or we'll shoot," the same man said. His accent was very thick and difficult to understand.

"Why don't we talk a bit?" Jonas said, smiling. Only this time it was obviously forced.

The group looked at him.

"There's nothing to talk about. You have entered the site of the Gods, and that's forbidden."

"Wait a second," Daniel said for the first time since the ambush. "The site of the Gods?"

"One of you must be sacrificed."

"Why?" Daniel asked. He didn't like where all this was going. Nobody like it.

"Give us your weapons now," another man repeated the order. He looked around after saying that. He was searching for something.

"I think we should do what he says, Jack," Jacob said when more men appeared.

Jack sighed resign, "Okay. Let's lower our weapons, campers. We don't want to have a fight right now."

Teal'c lowered his staff weapon but didn't give it to anyone. The other members of their group gave the natives their weapons.

"Give it to me," one of the natives ordered Teal'c.

"T," Jack said.

The Jaffa looked at him and then gave away his staff weapon. "I do not believe this is wise, O'Neill."

"We don't have any other choice, do we?" Jacob was the one who answered Teal'c.

He nodded.

The natives watched them. They were searching for something. Daniel was starting to get more worried. The more they looked arround the worse the result might be. After all, they had said something about a sacrifice.

Jonas was the one that spoke.

"May I ask you something?" he said in a very polite tone.

There was a woman there that looked at him. She had weapons too, like the others. Daniel thought that this race was pretty developed in regards to the social status of women. Sam wasn't going to have any problem here. She wasn't going to complain about how the women were treated.

"What do you want to know?" she asked

"You said something about a sacrifice" Jonas said.

"One of you must be sacrified to the Gods because of your insolence."

"Our insolence?" Jack said almost shouting. "For crying out loud. Daniel?"

Daniel looked at Jack and shrugged. He didn't understand what his friend wanted him to say.

"We were sent here," Jack said.

At that Daniel lit up. "We are explorers, and we are following some clues that brought us here. We didn't know this place was forbidden," he said with one of his most innocent faces.

"We don't care," the man that spoke first said. "You have done something that's wrong." He looked around and saw Jack. In fact, he stared at Jack, "You are the leader, aren't you?"

"Yes," Jack said, approaching the man. He seemed to be the "other" leader. "General Jack O'Neill."

All the natives looked at him, they were analysing him.

"You will come with us," the woman said.

"I will?" Jack asked.

"You are the one that will be sacrified," other man said, he had an evil smile in his face.

* * *

Back on Earth

"I have to do something."

"Mark, I don't know what you are talking about," Emily said to her worried husband.

"I made a bad choice," he said. "I shouldn't have told Pete what the General told me."

"Ah."

"I think I will try to talk to General Hammond," Mark said thoughtfully.

"You think he will be able to prevent anything Pete might have done or is going to do?"

"I don't know, love, but he is the only one I can go to."

An hour later

"Sir, please come with me," the airman said to Mark.

The young Carter was, secretely, expecting that his father would come and take him to the lower levels of the mountain as it happened a day ago, more or less. But no, this time it was an airman who had to do that job.

They entered the lift, and Mark started remembering the earlier conversation he had had with General Hammond. The man hadn't wanted to discuss any matter that was related to the talk that Mark had had with O'Neill by phone. He had told him that he was going to be alowed once again inside the mountain because the telephone wasn't a secure line, and the only secure place was the mountain at the moment.

Mark was really intrigued. Why wasn't the phone secure? Why was it only inside that mountain they could talk? What was it that his little sister and father did that needed to be so secretely guarded?

The elevator's doors opened, and Mark found himself again in front of the desk where another airman gave him the document he had to sign to have access to the lower levels. He signed it without seeing what it said and waited to follow a new airman that would take him to see Hammond.

"Sir, would you come with me this way please?"

"Yes, of course."

Mark got into the second elevator and waited patiently until it went down all the levels.

When the doors opened, another airman came.

"The General is waiting for you in the briefing room. Please follow me."

Mark walked behind his escort without saying a word. He was thinking what the hell was he going to tell Hammond? How was he going to tell him that his sister and her CO might be in problems because of his friend? Anyone could see that his friend had confidence problems with regards to his relationship with Sam. Except no one could foresee how Pete would react when pushed to his limit.

When he entered the breifing room, he found not only General Hammond there but Admiral Garibaldi, General Jumper and General Ford.

"Oh" was the only thing Mark could say. Members of the Joint Chiefs were there. Was Pete able to cause his sister big problems so fast?

"Mark," Hammond said smiling. "Please have a seat." He pointed out a chair to Mark next to the Admiral. "These men are Admiral Garibaldi, General Ford and General Jumper. They are here visiting us."

"Mr. Carter, it's a pleasure," Jumper told him. "We had heard a lot about you in the past day."

"Sirs," was the only thing he could say as he sat down on the chair Hammond had showed him.

"What happened, Mark?"

"Sir, I have made a BIG mistake."

"What have you done?" the Admiral asked him. They knew what the young Carter had done, but they wanted to hear all the story first from his point of view.

"Sir, after talking to General O'Neill yesterday, I went to talk to Pete, and I told him what O'Neill told me about the spheres, and Pete went mad. He said that he was going to report Sam and her CO for breaking the frat regs."

"We know, son" General Ford said.

Mark looked at him astonished, "You know? That's why you are here?"

"No," Jumper said. "We are here because the President wanted us here because of the kind of mission General O'Neill and SG-1 are into."

"Oh," Mark said. "So how do you know what Pete wants to do?"

"We have a meeting with the detective today," Ford told him.

"He was very upset with us because we didn't give importance to what he wanted to say about Jack and Colonel Carter."

"You know about the spheres?"

"Of course, Jack told the President all before leaving"

"Do you really think that your sister was involved with Jack in a romantic way, Mark?" Hammond asked

"No, sir, but I really had my doubts, sir, they looked really close to me, and the way he was the only one that could bring our father to the wedding, well" Mark said

"Jack was the only one that could bring Jacob today," Hammond said smiling, "because he has a very powerful friend."

"Yeah, that's what my dad said. And I thought that the President was that powerful friend, but dad didn't say it was him. In fact, he didn't say anything," Mark said frustated.

The Generals and Admiral smiled.

"Who was the one that found Jacob?" Jumper asked, he had had the same question since he knew that the retired General was on world.

"Jack's friend, the one that calls every time he needs our help, or really Jack's and Sam's help," Hammond said smiling

The representatives of the Joint Chiefs all smiled and nodded their heads. Mark didn't say anything, he understood that he wasn't going to know who they were talking about.

Suddenly, all the alarms started going off.

"Unscheduled off-world activation," a voice said.

"What!" Mark said, but nobody payed attention to him. They all went to another room. Mark followed them. He entered a room that had a lot of computers and other stuff. There was a huge window that showed a huge ring that was spinning.

"Close the iris," Hammond said.

"Incoming code. It's SG-1's code, sir."

"Open the iris. This isn't good. They weren't supposed to return so soon."

Mark was quiet, listening and looking all around. He didn't understand what was happening, but he knew that Sam's team was SG-1. So something had happened to his little sister wherever she was.

Suddenly, he saw Daniel appeared through the water wall and then his father and Teal'c and Jonas and two more guys. What the hell was that?


	23. Chapter 22

A/N: Okay, this chapter isn't long but it has it's complication for me. The words in italics (_sss_) are said when they speak in Goa'uld and Sam's thoughts are between ''.

I want to tell you that now it will be difficult for me to update soon cause I have two jobs for this weeks.

I hope you loke it. Thanks Alicia!

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXII

They didn't know what to do. In fact, they couldn't do anything. The natives had taken Jack by the force and then tied them to each other in pairs. Sam was the only one that was tied alone. She didn't have a partner cause apparently she was the one that looked weaker from their oppressors point of view. That was a BIG mistake. In this situation, when Jack's life was in danger, Sam was the most dangerous of all of them.

The natives weren't paying attention to their prisoners. They were all looking up to where the altar was located. Sam had a little knife in her underwear. That was a very difficult place for any enemy to search. They didn't look for anything there. So, Sam, started trying to get the mini weapon. Teal'c saw what she was trying to do and realized that the only way to save Jack was going to be by helping Sam to reach the altar and save him.

"Jacob Carter," he said.

Instantly the natives looked at him. Jacob looked at him too. In fact, everyone looked at him except Sam.

"Teal'c?" he asked.

"_We must find a way to free ourselves,"_ Teal'c said in Goa'uld.

"Don't speak," one of the natives said.

"_We must find a way to return to the Stargate," _Teal'c said again in Goa'uld.

"I said, don't speak," the same man said again, and he hit Teal'c in the face.

"_What we have to do is find a way to distract them from your daughter,"_ Teal'c said again.

Nobody looked at Sam. They knew now that she needed a distraction, that she needed time, and that was what they were going to give her.

Jacob lowered his head. Selmak was in control now.

"**_What do you have in mind Teal'c?"_** she asked.

That caused a big reaction between the natives.

"They are demons!" one of the women exclaimed.

"But he was normal until a minute ago." another said.

"**_We are strong. We can free ourselves,"_** Malek spoke for the first time in a while.

"_I believe that is the only distraction Colonel Carter needs"_ Teal'c said.

"**And then we will run to the Stargate so they follow us."** "Indeed." 

During this conversation, Sam was able to reach her knife and free her hands. She analyzed the situation carefully. Sam was going to wait for Teal'c's distraction to make her move. She would run to the stairs and try to reach Jack before they killed him.

'Come on, Teal'c. Hurry. Jack needs me. Wait a second.' Sam thought, 'when did you start to call him Jack? I don't know! But I don't know when I started to talk to myself either, and that's the truth.'

Sam smiled to herself, 'so, have you thought what are we going to do when Teal'c makes his move? No, the only thing I know is that we are going to save Jack, no matter what. Jack. Try not to call him that way when we find and free him. God! No! I can't call him by his name. He is my General. Your General? Shut up!'

Teal'c made his move. He was tied to Daniel. In a second they weren't tied anymore. They were free and started fighting the natives. Selmak, who was tied to Jonas, freed them a second later, as did Anise and Malek. Sam saw what was happening and understood that this was going to be her only chance. She ran towards the stairs. Nobody saw her in the frantic chaos. Not one of the natives remembered to watch her.

"**We must retreat; go back to the Stargate,"** Selmak shouted.

The group started the withdrawal to the Stargate. They were running as fast as they could. The natives were tracking them. They were running for their lives and Sam's and Jack's.

Some hours later, they reached the end of the oasis. They were tired, but they had to continue. This was the only way to help Sam and Jack. The natives were trying to get to them.

When they reached the Gate, Daniel dialed home and every one jumped to Earth. The natives tried to reach them but couldn't. But some of them shot their arrows and found their mark. They hit Jacob's right arm.

"What happened?" Hammond's voice asked from the control room.

"We lost them, General," Daniel said looking at Hammond. Next to him was standing Mark Carter.

"What happened to you, Jacob?"

Everybody looked at him. He was bleeding. His arm was bleeding. Jacob didn't say anything. Selmak had seen Mark there. So she wasn't going to talk. She took the arrow out of their body and shook her head. Hammond immediately understood that Selmak was in charge of Jacob's body and that she wasn't going to talk.

"Go to the infirmary and then back to the briefing room."

* * *

An hour later they were all sitting in the briefing room. Jacob had his arm in a bandage, and he had orders not to move it, but it was only a scratch, and Selmak was already healing him. The people in the room were three Generals, an Admiral, three Tok'ra, a Jaffa, an archeologist, a Langarian and Mark Carter. 

Mark was shocked. He didn't understand what was happening, but he did know that his sister wasn't there, his father was injured but acted as if nothing had happened to him, and he understood that when Daniel had said 'we lost them,' he was talking about Sam and her CO. He also didn't understand what that thing was, the big ring, and what the hell did 'unscheduled off-world activation' mean? In reality, he didn't understand anything. He was lost yet intrigued.

"Jacob, what happened to you?" George asked.

"We were on the new place, the one that showed the oasis," Daniel spoke. Mark looked at him trying to understand. He knew that he was only there because his father had asked for his presence.

"The trip was odd. There wasn't any noise."

"We were being watched, General," Teal'c said.

"After some hours we reached the Temple," Jonas articulated.

"The Temple?" the Admiral asked.

"We now know that it was a temple because the natives said it was the place of the Gods," Jonas answered.

"The natives?" Ford asked this time.

"We were trying to translate what the building said when they appeared.

"They took us by surprise," Daniel said. He was tired and frustrated and angry. They had left Sam and Jack on an alien planet, when nobody is left behind, nobody.

"I failed, General Hammond," Teal'c said. They all looked at him surprised. "I should have known they were going to attack."

"It wasn't your fault, Teal'c," Jacob said, "Jack was doing the perimeter as did I, and we didn't see them coming either."

Hammond looked around. They were all worried and tired and resigned,

"So what happened next?"

"They said a sacrifice would have to be done because of our intrusion," Jonas continued reporting the mission.

"They picked Jack because he was the leader," Daniel said.

"We tried to prevent them from taking the General, but their numbers were many. We fought but in the end couldn't do anything."

"Is he dead?" Jumper asked.

"We don't know," Jonas said. "They took him to the altar that was 20 meters high in the temple."

"What happened to Colonel Carter?"

The three members of SG-1 looked at each other and then at Jacob. He was the one that spoke.

"We were tied up in pairs. Sam was alone," was the only thing he said. They all saw the pain that crossed his face. The arm was healing, but it was painful.

"Colonel Carter always carries a knife hidden in her underwear," Teal'c continued as if nothing had happened to Jacob and as if the information he was given was something normal. They all looked at him. He raised his eyebrow.

"Sam says that no one would look for a weapon there," Daniel explained smiling.

"I realized she was trying to get the knife and that she needed a distraction."

"So we gave her a distraction," Jacob said. He had regained his composure. "We freed ourselves and ran home."

"You left her?" Mark spoke for the first time. He had been listening and watching his father. He didn't understand why he was there if he was in such pain. But the way his father had been acting lately was something Mark didn't understand either. So he decided that he was going to treat his father as if nothing had happened to him. They all looked at him.

"O'Neill and Colonel Carter will find a way to come back."

"She was the only one that could help Jack."

"Your sister knew what she was doing, Mark" Jacob said. "She has done this before."

"But you don't know if Jack is still alive," Jumper said.

"He is," Daniel said. He must be, he thought.

"He must be," Jonas said. "The General is a very difficult man to kill." Every one in the room smiled except for Mark.

"They will find a way to come back," Daniel assured Mark. "They are the best. And when they are together, anything is possible."

"But you don't know," Mark said. "And what the hell was that thing?" he asked pointing to the Stargate.

Hammond stood up. "We can't tell you anything yet. I must talk to the President. I really don't like what I need to tell him," George said.

Garibaldi smiled. "Just tell him that we lost the Commander of the Stargate Project and the personal friend of the Supreme Commander of the Asgards **and** the World's specialist in all this stuff."

"He will have a heart attack," Ford said.

* * *

If someone is reading the story, please rewiew, I would like to know. 


	24. Chapter 23

A/N: Here you have another chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks Alicia.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXIII

"Wait a second, General," Freya said. She understood that Anise couldn't show up this time. Mark Carter didn't know anything about the Tok'ra yet.

"Freya?" Daniel asked.

"What if this was part of the test they were supposed to do there?"

"You are insinuating that all this was prepared?" Ford asked.

Hammond looked at the Tok'ra scientist, "I really don't know what to think about that yet. The only thing I know is that I have to call the President."

"George," Jacob said. "You have to tell him that there has been a security breach."

"Yes, I will try to gain permission to tell Mark some of the things we do here."

"He will give us green light, George," Jacob said smiling. "You can't say to Mark that the Chappa'I is an instrument for the research in Deep Space Telemetry."

"How is your arm, Jacob?" Hammond asked. He was going along as if he didn't hear Jake's comment.

"Oh, you know," Jacob said, smiling again, "healing."

"Aren't you worried for your daughter, Jacob?" Garibaldi asked Jacob. Hammond went to his office, or well, Jack's office. He had a call to make.

"Really?" Jacob asked.

"Yes," Jumper said.

"No," Jake said.

"You aren't?" Mark was shocked at Jacob's answer.

- You know lying is not good

- I'm not lying.

- You are worried, Jacob.

- I'm worried for Sam and Jack, not only Sam.

- I don't see the difference.

"I am worried for Sam and Jack, Mark, not only for Sam."

"We are all worried for the General," Freya said.

They all looked at her. Jonas smiled.

"You know, Freya, I think it's time you forget about Jack," Jacob told her.

"Why?"

"He doesn't like you."

"I don't understand why he doesn't like me, Jacob. Perhaps you can enlighten me."

All the men in the room smiled. Well all, except Teal'c.

"You aren't his type," Daniel said.

"I'm not much different from Colonel Carter, Dr. Jackson."

Daniel, who had decided to drink his water almost choked on it. Teal'c raised his

eyebrow. The members of the Joint Chiefs smiled. This conversation was turning really interesting. Mark looked as if he was going to have a heart attack. They were talking about Sam's and her CO's relationship in front of the representatives of the Joint Chiefs.

-I am going to hurt her.

-Jacob, she doesn't know that she can't say those kinds of things here.

-She can't say that Sam is Jack's type, Selmak.

-She doesn't understand why Jack doesn't like her, poor girl.

-Selmak!

-Jacob?

"You are extremely different from Colonel Carter, Freya," Teal'c said.

"I am?"

"Indeed."

"I must admit that, yes, you are physically the type of woman Jack likes," Daniel said, "but you know the history you have with us doesn't help."

"What you are saying in that the incident with the bracelets and the Za'tarc are responsible of his way of treating me?"

"Well, I wasn't present in the Za'tarc test, but what happened with the bracelets was really seious. We almost died."

"I don't believe O'Neill would be interested in you if the two incidents Daniel Jackson said didn't happen either."

"And why is that?"

"O'Neill's heart has an owner, and when a warrior gives his heart to a woman or a cause, he will never have it back."

Jacob smiled. Teal'c really knew how to say things without betraying his friends.

"What are you saying?" Mark asked. The comment has got his attention.

"He says that the General's commitment to our job is more powerful than anything else," Jonas said.

"Jack's an Air Force officer," Daniel explained to Mark and the representatives of the Joint Chiefs. "He lives by the rules, yeah, perhaps he has sometimes bent them a little, but he loves his job, and he would never do anything to jeopardize it."

"In other words," Garibaldi said smiling, "he loves his former 2IC but never did anything about it."

"I didn't say that."

"We know, Dr. Jackson. We are aware of the situation that involves Jack and Colonel Carter," Ford said. "We have known for years, and I must say, that I was really surprised when George told us that she was getting married."

"Oh, come on, Ford," Jumper said. "You made a big bet that she wasn't going to accept when the time came for her yes. You are not happy that this mission came because if she cancels the wedding now, you will lose."

They all laughed. This was really strange for Mark. They were saying that his sister and her CO were in love but didn't do anything because of the Air Force. So why on Earth had Sam agreed to marry Pete?

"You know," Jacob said. "Jack will have a stroke if he finds out that the President and the Joint Chiefs know about his feelings for Sam."

"What about your daughter, Jacob?"

"Well, Sam will probably hide in her lab for the rest of her life."

They all laughed, even Mark.

* * *

Meanwhile in the General's office

"Mr. President, sir, we have a problem………………….no sir, not that……………..we have lost Jack and Colonel Carter……………….well, sir, when they went to the new planet, they were made prisoners, and Jack was chosen to be sacrificed. Colonel Carter went to try to save him, and, well, they are on the planet……………….no, sir, we are going to send a rescue mission……………yes, sir……….yes, we have another problem…………….. Mark Carter was inside the mountain when SG-1 arrived, and he saw them coming trough the Stargate………………. Jacob asked if we could tell him the general idea of the project……………..it would be the right thing to do, sir………..if not what else can we tell him…………..he won't buy it…………yes, sir."

Suddenly the alarms went off.

"Unscheduled off-world activation."

"Sir, I have to go………………….yes, sir."

When Hammond reached the control room, something unusual was happening

"I can't close the iris, sir"

A light appeared through the Gate.

"It's an Ancient," Daniel exclaimed excited.

* * *

Sam ran like mad. She had to climb those damn stairs as fast as she could. She had to reach Jack before something happened to him. She couldn't lose him, not now. She had made a decision. She was going to fight for him, for them. She was not going to hide her feelings for her CO any longer. She had to save him.

She was tired. She couldn't run anymore, but she had to get to Jack, to her General, to her soul mate, to her life.

* * *

The Ancients watched as Sam struggled against her body.

"She is strong and stubborn."

"She is an exceptional woman."

"She is in love."

"Perhaps we should help her."

"We must not intervene, not yet anyway."

* * *

When Sam reached the top of the Temple, she saw him. Jack was on his knees, his hands tied in front of him. He had his back to Sam. The natives were doing some kind of ceremony. One of them had a knife in his hands and was doing some sort of blessing to it. The others watched while singing strange words.

When they finished, one of the women present asked Jack, "Is there something you want?"

Jack looked at her. "Release my team once this is over and let them take my body to our home."

"Of course."

The man that had the knife was positioned in front of Jack. Sam instantly ran towards Jack. And when the native was going to stab him, Sam intercepted the white weapon, and she was the one stabbed.

"Sam!"

She fell in Jack s arms. The knife had been plunged into the middle of her chest. It was a mortal wound. In his rage, Jack got up and killed the native with his own hands. He broke his neck. Then went to where Sam was and held her close to him while crying.

The other natives that were there were shocked. Not only had the ceremony gone wrong and their leader was dead, but a woman was now dying. A woman. The women were sacred in their culture. They represented the fertility, the power of the land. They were the ones that carry the life. Now they were cursed. They ran away. They left the two lovers alone.

* * *

A/N: I must tell you that I have written next chapter, in fact I wrote in the computer but I can't open the file in my computer, I wrote it in another one, today I will try to see if I can open the file in the other one and see what's the problem. But soon you'll have the next part. NEXT CHAPTER IS REALLY NICE! 


	25. Chapter 24

A/N: This is not the original version of this chapter but I lost the file so I have to re write it and well...

THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS!

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXIV

"Sam" Jack cried. Tears going down on his face.

"Jack" Sam said low in a whisper, then fall unconcious.

Jack started crying more. He never cried. Last time he had cried was when Charlie died. He didn't cried in his funeral, he cried alone in his baby's room.

Hehad seen a lot of death through his career, he had killed a lot of people and creatures and never cried. But this was Carter. This was Sam. His love. His life. The only reason hehad to wake up in the mornings. The only reason he had accepted to become the CO of the SGC. He couldn't live without her. And, oh God, what was he going to tell Jacob. How do you tell the father of the woman you love that she died saving you. And what was he going to say at Earth. Sam Carter, the wordl's expert in the Stargate and alien technology had died saving an old and good for nothing General.

He still had his hands tied. He cpuldn't caress her beautiful, perfect features, so Jack cried. His heart hurt, his body hurt, all of him hurt.

"Jack" a voice said. It wasn't Sam's. It wasn't important for him. The only thing that matter to him was Sam. "Jack"

"Go away" he yelled.

"Jack, there's still a posiblility for Sam to live if you let us" the Ancient woman said.

"How could you sent us here" Jack was crying. All rational thought had left him. He was devastated.

"Jack, let me heal her. Sam is not dead but she will if you don't allow me to help her"

He turned, looking for the Ancient. She was behind him. "You can heal her?"

"Yes, but I need you to release her, jack"

He inmediately put Sam on the floor of the Temple and stood up. The Ancient saw that his hands were still tied and instantly, with one only move form her hand, Jack's hands were free.

She kneel in front of Sam's body and put her hands on Sam's chest. Then started the process that would heal Sam.

* * *

The Ancient took human form. Daniel had went to receive him.

"Lower your weapons, it's a friend" he said.

"Daniel" the Ancient said, "I am Morfin. I came in representation of the Ancients"

"It is a pleasure to have you here, on Earth. Please follow me, the General is waiting in the briefing room with the others"

* * *

In the briefing room, Jacob was pacing.

- This isn't good.

- Calm down Jacob.

- If one of them came, it means that something is wrong.

- We don't know

- Tell me, why are they visiting us then?

- I am sure we'll find out soon. Dr. Jackson will bring him shortly and we will be able to speak to him.

Teal'c was sitting in his usual chair watching Jacob. Jonas was talking cheerfully with Freya about the Ancients. And the Generals, Admiral, Mark and Malek were waiting quietly the arrival of the archeologist.

Daniel came and brought the Ancient with him.

"General Hammond, this is Morfin, he came to Earth in representation of the Ancient Race"

"Morfin, it's a pleasure to have you here" Hammond said very polite, "please, take a sit"

Morfin sat in the chair that was at the left of Hammond. The one Jacob was sitting at before.

- Come on Jacob, lets sit down.

When they were all sat, Jacob asked, "Why are you here?". He was everything but polite at the moment.

- You ought to behave better Jacob.

- Something happened Selmak, something happened to my baby girl.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Jacob and Selmak of the Tok'ra. We have been watching your work. You have done a great job with the alliance" Morfin said smiling.

"Excuse me?" Mark asked perplexed.

"Later Mark" Jacob said, his eyes fixed on the Ancient, "you haven't answer my question, why are you here?"

Morfin looked at him, he continue smiling, "you don't have to worry, Jacob/Selmak, we have taken care of Samantha"

"What?" Mark shouted. He was concerned, something had happened to his little sister, something bad apparently.

Morfin looked at him, "your sister, Mark, was mortally wounded, she was stabbed in the chest but don't worry" he said when he saw the shocked and alarm faces of all the men present in the room, "we have taken care her"

"In what way?" Daniel asked. He knew that there were a lot of ways of taking care of someone that was dying for the Ancients.

"We didn't giver her the choice Oma gave you Daniel, Samantha is needed here and _we_, need her"

"You need her?" Jumper asked.

"As we need Jonathan" Morfin said.

"Why is that?" Jonas asked.

"I came here to tell you that from now on Jonathan and Samantha will continue their journey alone"

"That's not posible" Garibaldi said.

"They'll continue their journey alone and don't try to contradict us" Morfin's tone was grave. He wasn't being kind anymore, the Ancients had gave the humans an order and they were going to follow it no matter what they wanted.

"But" Daniel said, "they will need us, or they will need me"

"Why?" Morfin asked as if Daniel's comment was a question made by a child who didn't see something that was obvious.

"Well, they will need to translate some of the writings in the buildings they find during the quest"

"Jonathan can do that"

"Jack?"

"Jack has a PhD in Ancient Greek and Latin and he speaks, reads and writes in Spanish, Russian, French, German, Japanesse, Hebrew and Arabian. He also has a PhD in astronomy and a Master in graphology"

"Jack?"

"That information is highly classified Jacob" Ford told him.

"O'Neill also can speak, read and write in Ancient and Goa'uld"

"I didn't know that" Hammond said looking at Teal'c and waiting for an explanation.

"He learnt during the timeloops"

"Jack?"

"As you see, between Samantha and Jonathan, they cover all the fields they might need"

"Jack?"

"Daniel" Jacob said, "Yes, Jack. He is a prodigy, okay. He was a kid when he entered at the University, then when he was 18 he got enrole"

"But Jack" Daniel was shocked. Jack understood everything he and Sam said in the briefings, that is way he gets bored so easily, he thought.

"Why do they have to continue alone?" Freya asked cutting Daniel.

"Your presence will distract them. They won't act the way they are acting now if you are there and we need them to behave this way"

"This way?" Ford asked.

"When none of your rgulations are between them, they behave the way we want them to, the way they have to tobe able to fulfill the prophecy"

"Tha Prophecy?" Daniel said, that were his first words after the shock of knowing that Jack was a genius.

"There's a prophecy we believe that talks about them"

"About Sam and her CO?"

"It was made shortly after we left Earth"

"What does it say" Jonas asked.

They were all intrigued. A prophecy that talked about the two main characters in the bet pool. This meant that a new bet could be set.

"The prophecy says this:

_When a man and a woman met,_

_When two warriors fall in love,_

_When those who are not anymore completely humans accept their destiny,_

_The Ancients will return to Earth and the Asgard will receive the answer to their question"_

"OH, MY GOD"

"There is still something more I have to tell you"


	26. Chapter 25

THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS!

Sorry I couldnt post before but we got lost with Alicia about the chapters that needed to be corrected.

I will be posting another chapter tomorrow.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXV

It hurt. It hurt a lot. Suddenly no more pain. She felt Jack crying. It was the first time she had ever seen him cry. Well, she hadn't seen him; she had felt him. God! She was dying, and she never told him what she felt, what was in her heart. She never explained to Jack why she dated Pete, why she agreed to marry him. She never made love to Jack. Thera had made love to Jonah. Because of that time, she knew he was a giving lover. She remembered how Jonah had felt moving inside of Thera, the way he worshipped her. The way he made her come, the way he came. They always came hard. But she never felt Jack. She never loved him, in the literal way.

She had been in love with him since the moment she first saw him standing in the briefing room with his dress blues and so sure of himself. For her, it was love at first sight, something that she didn't believe could happen. The thought of all that, hurt more than the knife she had in her chest. She was dying, and she couldn't do anything. Sam Carter, the woman that could do everything, couldn't save herself form death.

It was getting cold. She was freezing. She knew death was very near now.

Suddenly, she felt hot. Her temperature was rising. Fast. The pain in her chest was disappearing. She felt better, she felt healed.

Sam opened her eyes and saw the Ancient woman they had met before. She smiled. Then her eyes search for her General. He was standing there looking at her. His eyes red for the tears. He smiled at her.

Thank God, Jack thought, she is alive. He went to Sam. The Ancient woman stood up and backed off. She was an intruder at the moment. The two humans were seeing each other as if they were the only ones present. They have forgotten about her. So the Ancient left. She would wait for them downstairs. She would join the others now. They had to think what to tell Jack. He was the one that worried the Ancients. He was the one that would never trust them again.

"Carter," Jack asked, "Are you all right?"

"Yes, sir" Sam said. She was still lying on the floor. She was weak but not as weak as she appeared to be. Sam wanted to see Jack's next move.

Jack approached Sam hesitaiting. He was still in shock. He thought he had lost her forever, but now Sam was there breathing, alive.

"Carter," he said and kneeled next to her. He moved his right hand to caress her face. When he touched her, Sam closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his hand in her face. Then, she opened her eyes and looked straight into those beautiful brown eyes.

Jack was lost the minute he touched her and when her baby blue eyes looked at him, he stopped listening to all the voices that were screaming in his head 'she is your junior officer', 'she is getting married and not to you', 'you're her CO'. Jack lowered his head to hers and kissed her lightly in the lips.

When she didn't move away, he kissed her again. It was a hesitant kiss. But when Sam kissed him back, Jack took that as the sign that told him go on, kiss her full in the mouth. His right hand went to the back of her head and Sam's right one moved to his neck.

Jack bit her lower lip playfully. Sam smiled but didn't do anything in response, so he licked her lower lip. He was looking for entrance to her mouth, and she gave it to him.

His tongue entered slowly into her mouth, as if asking for permission. He was tasting all of Sam. He was trying to imprint her taste in his mind, all the feelings, everything that he felt at that moment. His tongue started moving in her mouth, playing with her tongue, trying to get to every part of her mouth. Jack was making love to Sam's mouth.

Sam was lost in feelings and sensations. He was an excellent kisser. She had never felt someone kiss her like that. Jack was loving her at that precise moment. Sam knew that you can make love by kissing, but she never had experienced that until that moment.

Then suddenly his tongue left her mouth, and Sam knew he was asking her to explore his mouth, and as Sam was a good little soldier, she obeyed instantly. Her tongue started exploring Jack's hot mouth. He tasted like him, strong, confident, sensitive and a bit of chocolate.

She felt his left hand carresing her breast, and Sam moaned in his mouth. They weren't taking this slow. Both knew that they needed each other. Both knew that there was no going back and that really didn't matter to them anymore. They were going to face the consequences when the time came. Now the only thing that mattered was them, and only them.

* * *

Meanwhile on Washington DC, during the Presindent's press conference

"Sir, what do you have to say about the rumor written by Tom Wallace from The Gazette Telegraph?"

"What rumor?"

"The one that says that General O'Neill and Colonel Carter are having an affair and that you and the Joint Chiefs know about it?"

Hayes smiled. This wasn't a surprise for him. He had read the newspaper and all the people in the Pentagon were talking about it. He had discussed this with his Chief of Staff and reached a decission.

"Do you want to know who told Tom about this supposed affair?"

"You know who's the source?"

"Of course. Colonel Carter was supposed to get married three days ago, I believe, but she was called on an urgent mission and was forced to suspend the wedding," Hayes said. He wasn't smiling anymore.

"Her groom in an attack of jealousy went and told Tom about the close relationship Samantha has with Jack. But let me tell you something," he said before they started asking questions again, "she has a close relationship with Daniel too, in fact they are like family, but as Daniel is a civilian, her groom didn't think he is worth the gossip."

The reporters didn't say anything for a moment. They were analyzing what the President said.

"But, Sir, she works, from what we were able to find out, at NORAD, what mission could have developed?"

Hayes smiled again, "Sam is an excellent soldier. She is a genius. She was needed in an urgent matter that unfortunately for you is classified. The same happened with Jack and Daniel and other valuable people that work at NORAD. The only thing I can tell you is that Jack and Sam, General O'Neill and Colonel Carter, are two of the best Air Force officers we have, and they would never do anything to jeopardize their jobs and breaking the fraternization rules would be a disaster for them. So," Hayes stopped, one of his assistants had appeared.

"Sir, you have a call."

"I am busy now"

"It's General Jumper"

The smile on Hayes face dissappeared, "Sorry people, but I have to take the call," he said and left the conference room.

* * *

"What's wrong now?" the President asked Jumper through the red phone,

"What?……..you're kidding me………………… a prophecy? We'll talk about that later. Now tell me about the city………………………………………. Okay, now tell me what are we going to say? The press is talking and asking questions, and_ we_ are involved in all this. This Shannahan has caused a big problem…………………………….. We can't give a special permission……………………………………. You must think of a way…………………… I know…………………………………… the Ancients?………………………. the Ancients will return to Earth if Jack and the Colonel fulfill the prophecy? What exactly does the prophecy say?……………………………. Holy shit!………………….. Well, we gave Jack green light to do whatever was needed………………… Now, again, what about the city?………………………… That's interesting…………………… I will see what I can do, but the situation is complicated…………… See what we can do with Shannahan."

The President hung up. "Marie, call the Joint Chiefs and Ernie, please, I need them ASAP!"


	27. Chapter 26

The other lost city

Chapter XXVI

Morfin had left some hours ago. Mark was sitting in the commisary eating, or acting like he was eating. At least he had a dish full of some strange sort of food in front of him. He didn't understand half of the things he had heard. He didn't understand what was happening there and why, suddenly, all the people in the base were no longer worried about Sam and General O'Neill.

"Mark Carter."

Mark looked up and saw that Teal'c was next to his table waiting to sit.

"Sit down, please."

Teal'c sat and began eating. He had fruit in his plate. Then Daniel came and sat next to Mark.

"What are you eating, Mark?"

"Don't know."

"I believe that that's what is left of Monday's dinner."

"Yeah. If I were you, I wouldn't eat it."

"Teal'c, Daniel, Mark," Jacob came and sat in the fourth chair. He had an orange juice and an apple.

"Where are Anise and Malek?"

"They are contacting the High Council."

"And you?"

"Well, Daniel, the High Council isn't happy with me."

"The High Council?"

"Mark, you have received a special permission to know some of the things we do here, but first you have to sign a document, so I can't tell you anything yet."

"I see," Mark said, "but perhaps you can answer a question I have, Dad."

"Shoot."

"Why is it that since Morfin came and said all those things about Sam and General O'Neill, everyone on the base are so sure that nothing will happen to them?"

"Oh, no, Mark," Jacob said smiling, "on the contrary. We know that something _will_ happen to Jack and Sam, and that's why the base is so relaxed."

Mark looked puzzled at his father. Jacob smiled again.

- You are an evil man, Jacob.

"For eight years now, the entire base has been waiting for something to happen between those two."

"There's a betting pool if you want to make a bet, Mark," Daniel said as if what he said was something normal.

"Daniel Jackson is the the person that takes the bets. He is the one that collects the money."

Mark looked incredulous, a betting pool? About his sister and her CO?

"What?"

Jacob and Daniel laughed.

"There are bets made about Sam and Jack. How much money is in the kitty, Daniel?"

"Approximately, $10,000."

"Oh, my God!"

"It's a lot of money, Mark. You sure you don't want to make a bet?" Jacob asked his son.

"What are the bets about?" Mark was curious now. That was a lot of money!

"Well, the bets that are currently working are," Daniel started marking what he said with his fingers, he was enumeranting, "the exact date of Jack's proposing, the exact day of the wedding, the date when Sam gets pregnant with their first child, the date of the birth of that child. There is also a bet about how Sam will break up with Pete, and there's another on how many special friends will be invited to the wedding, you know, things like that."

Mark was shocked. They were all mad at the base! "But doesn't everyone know that this relationship is against the regulations?"

"Indeed."

"Yeah, we know, but we also know that probably when the moment comes, A) Jack will retire again, B) Sam will leave the Air Force and ask for a position as a civilian, C) the President will give them a special permission, D) both of them will leave home and start their life together somewhere else."

"I hope the last option never happens. Desertion is not something to joke about."

"Yeah, but if you think about it, Jack could ask asylum with the Asgard or the Tok'ra or the Nox or in Argos or Edora, but those two are not good choices for a life with Sam. And Sam could ask the Tok'ra, they surely will give it to her, as well as the Asgard."

"Yes, but Jack will never ask somtehing from us, not after his last experience. But the Asgard will be glad to have the two of them with them."

"You are telling me, that you have thought the different ways for them to be together?"

"Indeed, and I must add that the Free Jaffa will give them asylum if they ask for it."

"You are all crazy!"

"Perhaps, but we have worked with them for many years now, and we know them. The only reason that has kept them apart are the frat regs."

"But they are still there."

"Not exactly," Jacob said. "Jack received permission to do whatever was needed to find the city."

"That isn't something I want to know, Jacob" Daniel said, he had a sickened face, "and you shouldn't be happy about it either. We are talking about your daughter and Jack."

"Daniel, Sam is a grown woman now, she isn't a baby anymore, and I have to tell you that I don't like the idea either, but Selmak says that they belong together and that Jack is a gentleman. Of course, you know she has a crush on Jack, and she is a natural match maker. So it's very difficult for me."

Daniel laughed, Teal'c smiled and Mark didn't understand anything.

"Selmak?"

"Come on, lets go to the briefing room so we can talk." Jacob said. Then asked, "where is Jonas?"

Daniel smiled, "well, I was supposed to look after his fish while he was gone, and I am sorry to say that I killed them, so he went to buy some new fish"

"I believe Jonas Quinn wants to take the fish with him"

"Yeah, but first we have to ask Sam if the fish will survive the trip through the Stargate" he said while leaving the commisary.

* * *

"Did you hear what the President said?" Patrica asked Pete. "I can't believe it."

"He obviously is more involved in this than what I thought."

"What are you going to do now, son?"

"I think I'm going to wait. Sam should be coming back soon," Pete told his mother, but inside him he had no idea what to do, in fact, he was starting to get afraid. The people that work with Sam and her team were really dangerous, and he didn't know how they would take his actions.


	28. Chapter 27

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXVII

"JAAAAACK!" Sam screamed when she came. He was still moving inside of her, hard and fast, looking for his release. Her hands were caressing his back. Her eyes closed, and she was trying to start breathing normally again. He was strong and hard and powerful. Suddenly he convulsed and came. "SAAAAAAM!" he screamed.

After finding his release, he was weak. It was the third time they made love that night – day, it didn't matter anymore. They were one, for now and forever.

Sam kissed Jack's head, and Jack searched for her lips. He found them and kissed her hard, his tongue in her hot mouth. He wanted and needed her so much. Jack left Sam's body and cuddled her.

"I love you" Sam said, "I really do. I've been in love with you for a long time."

Jack didn't answer. His heart was bumping really fast. He had had a lot of dreams where Sam told him those three words that he couldn't believe this was really happening.

Sam waited for an answer. When it didn't come, she continued as if this was something she had expected, when in reality, she had wished he had told her that he loved her too.

"I think I've loved you since the first time I saw you. I had never believed in love at first sight, but when I saw you that day in your blues, you took my breath away."

"Sam." That was the only thing he could say.

"Don't," Sam said and rolled so she could see his face. Her hand caress his shoulder, "Let me talk. Pete was a mistake. I know I hurt you, and, really, that is the last thing I wanted to do, but I was frustrated, and I thought that your feelings for me had changed."

"My feelings for you have never changed, Sam," Jack said. He had finally found his voice. He had heard what he wanted to hear. She had told him that Pete was gone, really gone, that he was history, and that was all he needed to hear to take courage and start speaking. "In fact, I believe they have grown with time, I -- " Jack looked at her in the eyes and kissed her nose, "I love you, Samantha."

Sam smiled and kissed him. Her tongue sought out entry, and he gave it with pleasure.

Round four had began

* * *

"This city seems to be very important, Sir, and if they are the only ones…" 

"Yes, but what are we going to do when they come back home? We can't tell them to go back to where they were. They can't return to CO – junior officer."

"No, and I don't think that is something we should worry about that right now. What I want to know is what do we tell the press? Because after what that detective said, I can't give them permission to pursue a relationship, at least not in public."

"No Sir, you can't, but perhaps there's another possibility."

"Talk, Harry"

* * *

Mark looked at his father. He was shocked and scared and shocked. 

"What you are saying is that this Selmak is an alien that lives in your body?"

"Yes, Mark"

"How? Why?"

"Well, you know that I had cancer?"

"Yes, Sam told me that you recovered."

"I recovered because of my blending with Selmak. The Tok'ra needed someone that would agreed to blend with one of them, and Sam knew I was dying and that the only way of living was this way."

"This alien saved you?"

Jacob lowered his head, **"We can heal all the common human illnesses, Mark."**

Mark jumped in his seat and looked at his father, "You're Selmak?"

**"Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you. Your father and I have talked a lot about you."**

"You have?"

**"Yes, Jacob and I always talk about his family. Of course, Samantha is our main theme of conversation, but we have talked about you too."**

"So, you know Sam?"

**"Yes, Samantha is a great child, and I am very pleased with the recent events. Jacob is happy too, but he wants to have a talk with Jack. He says it's tradition."**

Mark smiled, "Well, it is. The fahter of the girl talks to the suitor and tells him that if he ever hurts his daughter, he will kill him."

**"That's what Jacob said, but I don't believe this will work in this case."**

"Why?"

**"Many people have tried to kill Jack, and no one has yet been able to do it."**

Daniel laughed, and Mark smiled.

He didn't know Jack, but from what he had seen he thought Jack had to be a hard man.

* * *

"Do you think they will come down soon?" 

"I don't know."

"What are they doing?"

"They are creating a new life. They are conceiving a new Ancient."

The Ancients present smiled. Some of them remembered how it felt when the human body experienced an orgasm. It's a _really niiice_ feeling; others only had the memory of their partners as they were very young when they changed from the mortal to the inmortal form.

"But they have been there for hours now."

"I don't know exactly what they are doing, but from the way things have happened so far, I don't think we should interrupt them. Jack would be even more displeased with us."

"We have to decide how to manage the situation with Jack."

"Jonathan is a very stubborn man and what happened with Samantha is very serious. I don't think he will do anything for us."

"I believe we have to convince Sam. If Sam wants to continue the search, Jack will go on."

"We have to catch Jonathan's interest. He is very intelligent, and he will be able to show Samantha how intelligent he is."

"I believe Sam knows Jack is more intelligent than what he shows. That idea won't work."

"So we convince Sam, and she will convince Jack. That has always worked in the past. Do you remember the reason he blended with Kanan, because Sam asked him to do it. He will do what she asks him to do."

"I think we should talk to the two of them. Jack will hear us and will do what he knows is the right way to proceed. After all, if they can get into the City, Earth will receive a big reward."

* * *

Sam was sleeping with a smile in her face. Jack was looking at the sky while caressing Sam's back. He was happy, very happy. He got laid, with Sam Carter, the dream of every man in the Galaxy. They had made love _a lot_ of times that night – day. The sun was setting. 

Soon it would be time to leave. They had to return to Earth before General Hammond sent someone to find them lying together naked with the smell of their love making surrounding them.

He wondered what were their options now. They hadn't talk yet, but he knew he wasn't going back to the way things were. He wasn't going to hide. He was going to marry Sam no matter what the President, the Joint Chiefs, or their families thought.

If he had to retire, he would. He retired in the past. He could live without the Air Force, but he couldn't live without Sam.

Then, a thought passed through his mind. What were they going to tell Mark? He knew Shannahan was Mark's mate, and Carter was leaving his friend for her considerable older CO. When they first met, the gap between their ages didn't seem big to Jack but now, now was different. He was getting old and if they ever had children, most probably he would be dead by the time their kids finished High School.

Could he do that to her? No. On the other hand, he would love to see those children, yes, children. A lot of kids with curly blond hair and blue eyes or brown eyes. They could also have brown hair and blue eyes, and they would be _so_ intelligent, and they would love hockey and The Simpsons, and, perhaps, he would let them experiment with the toaster or the dishwater.

Jack's smile grew wider. He was happy. It was the first time in a long time that he was really, really happy. He was going to ask Sam how she felt about having children. He wanted a lot of kids, but he also was scared. He didn't want to make the same mistakes he made with Charlie. That was something they had to talk about.

They also had to talk about them. What Sam wanted. Jack knew he wanted the whole package. He wanted to marry her, have children and get old with her, but he didn't know what Sam wanted. He had the feeling that she wanted the same, but he didn't know when she wanted it.

He was so lost in thoughts that he didn't realize Sam had woken up and was looking at him.

"A penny," she said.

Jack looked at her and gave her one sexy smile. Sam reached his face and kissed him on the lips.

"What?"

"A penny for your thoughts," she said smiling. Her blue eyes were shining. Jack could see the shining that only appeared when something exciting found its way into her hands or when she figured out a solution to a problem no one else could find or every time she realized he wasn't dead, that he was still alive.

"I was thinking, and, yes, _I_ think," he said before Sam could say anything. She had opened her mouth to make a coment. "About us. There is as us; right?" Jack asked seriously.

Sam was fascinated at how insecure the man was about them. He may have had very good reasons. But after all this time they had spent making love, he should be more than sure that they will be going to be together for a looong time.

"Yes sir", Sam shivered, "Jack, there is an us."

She couldn't believe she still called him 'sir' after making love with him five times in one night. That thought made her smile.

"What are you smiling at?"

"You are like a bull."

"Pardon me?" Jack said, archinghis eyebroys.

"You are a sex machine O'Neill, with two 'Ls.'"

Jack went red, "Well, you know, I --"

"You?"

"I have a very sexy blond theoretical astrophysicist and Lt. Colonel as a muse, and the fact that I love you helps a little" he said looking right into her eyes.

"I love you too," Sam said smiling.

They had said out loud their feelings for each other many times during their love making. "Now, tell me, what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking about combinations."

"Combinations?" Sam repeated. She was puzzled.

"Yeah, you know, curly blond hair with brown eyes or brown hair with blue ones," Jack said very serious.

Sam looked at him, the synapses going very fast through her brain cells. Then she smiled, "How many?"

"How many do you want?" Jack said. A wide smile appeared in his face.

"Well, I don't know. I am not getting any younger," Sam said.

"So?"

"I think we should start as soon as posible and see what we can do," Sam said not looking at him. Suddenly she was really shy, one thing was to tell him that she loved him and it was another to tell him that she wanted to carry his children.

Jack moved his hand and caressed her face, "Sam," he said. She didn't look at him, "Sam, look at me,", she obeyed. Years of following his orders was going to be something difficult to forget.

"I love you, and I want to have a lot of babies with you, and the sooner we start, the better. And you know what that means, don't you?" he said arching his eyebrows.

"No" she said smiling widely at him.

"This means that as we are looking for a baby," he said smiling, " we will be making love a lot," he finished kissing Sam on the lips softly.

"I see," she said, her hands going south.

"But not now, Carter" Jack said catching her hands before they went to south, "we need to dress and return home."

"We have to?" Sam pouted.

"Yes, unfortunately. Come on."

He stood up and started gathering his clothes.

Sam looked at him. He had a great body. Tanned, strong, and he was in really good shape for a man his age. Sam didn't think Jack was old. No, his grey hair made him look sexier, and he had the body of a man ten years younger. His ass, mmmmmmmmmmmm, she wanted to slap it. Sam , reluctantly, stood up and got dressed.

"Come on, Carter," Jack said seeing that Sam wasn't ready.

"I'm coming, Sir," she answered, and the two started laughing. Jack looked at her in the eyes, and she saw how dark his brown eyes became. As she was doing, he was remembering the moment when she said exactly those words some hours ago.

"We should get going," Jack said and started going down the stairs. Sam followed him. They were in soldier-mode now. They were not lovers. They were General and Lt. Colonel. While in uniform and off-world, they were going to behave, if possible, as CO and 2IC.


	29. Chapter 28

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXVIII

"So, what do you think?" Garibaldi asked.

"I don't know," Hammond answered. "I don't think they will agree."

"The situation is difficult, if only Shannahan hadn't opened his mouth."

"Perhaps we can take care of him," Ford said, "you know, special ops?"

"The damage has already been done," Jacob said, "and I don't want you to think I don't believe the men in special ops are good, but we have other ways of making someone dissapear without taking care of him the way you are insinuating."

"I still don't think that would be the answer to our problem," Hammond said, "and we can't 'take care' of Shannahan. If he disappears now, people will start talking."

"I must say that I think George is right, but what else can we do?" Jumper said.

The Generals and the Admiral were in Jack's office. They had been discussing what to do when Jack and Sam returned in a few hours. The President had called and told them what possibilities the Joint Chiefs had discussed. They were the ones that had to make the final decission as Hammond and Jacob were the ones that knew the two officers better. But it was very difficult, the situation was very complicated and they couldn't loose any of them.

* * *

After aproximately two days under the mountain, Mark returned to Sam's house,where his family was supposed to be staying. 

"Hello," he said as he opened the door with the key Jacob gave him before he left the base.

"DADDY!"

"Hi, baby," Mark said hugging his little girl. He kissed her forehead.

"We missed you."

"Dad," his son said.

"Hello, kiddo, where's your mum?"

"In the bathroom," Mike told his father.

"Where were you daddy?" Steff asked. She had been worried about her dad. He usually didn't leave them for so long.

"I was with your grandad in the mountain where Aunt Sammie works"

"Can we go daddy? Grandpa said we could go if General Jack let us."

"General Jack?" Mark said smiling.

"Aunt Sammie calls him General, and grandpa calls him Jack," Steff explained.

"Well, I don't know sweetheart," Mark said, "Come on, let's get something to eat."

"We are not hungry, dad."

"Well, I am, Mike."

They went to the kitchen and Mark saw that there were a lot of supermarket bags on the counter.

"We had to go to the grocery store because Aunt Sam didn't have anything here!" Mike told his father.

Mark smiled. He knew his son hated going shopping. He prefered to stay at home and play with his computer games, but Sam didn't have any of those things here so….

"Well, she spends a lot of time working."

"Why?"

"Because she loves her work, honey." As his daughter's face still looked puzzled Mark

continued with an explanation. "She spends a lot of time with her friends that work there. That's why she likes her work so much."

"Mark, you're back!" Emily said.

Mark reached his wife and kissed her. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," she said smiling. "Did you hear that Pete went to a journalist and leaked the story?"

"I know, I know," Mark interrupted her, "They're seeing what they can do at the mountain."

"Well, actually, I think it's really simple."

"You think?"

"They go out, I mean Sam and her CO, and say there's nothing between them."

Mark smiled, "I wish things were so simple. But the situation is complicated."

"Complicated? I don't see how that's possible."

"Emily, Sam and Jack are in a mission at the moment. They are unreachable. Dad and the other Generals don't know when they are coming back."

"Oh, but, well, when they come back, they can go out and tell the press the truth."

"The truth," Mark said thoughtfully, "I must say again that I wish things were so simple. Honey, Sam and Jack might be gone for a long time."

"I don't understand, Mark. They are only on a mission."

"I know, but I can't say anything else," Mark told his wife. Then looked at his kids.

"Who wants to go to the park and have some hot dogs?"

"ME!" the children exclaimed.

* * *

When they reached the bottom of the stairs of the Temple, they saw a fire and a group of people around it. 

"Come on" Jack told Sam and started walking to the fire. "They are waiting for us."

"Sir," Sam said, "we don't know if they are hostiles."

"They are Ancients, Carter."

"Oh," Sam said, then "How do you know?"

Jack stopped and looked and frowned. He was thinking, then he smiled with that little sexy smile he has. "Don't know, but don't worry, Sam. They _are_ the Ancients," he said reaching for her hand and kissing it.

"If you say so," she answered smiling.

* * *

They walked to where the Ancients were. One of them rose up. 

"Jonathan, Samantha, glad you decided to join us," the Ancient said, "I am Morfin. This is Bella, you know her" he pointed the Ancient woman they had met before, "Conleth" a bald man lowered his head in a greeting way, "and Fallon" he said presenting a red-headed woman.

"Please, sit," Bella said politely.

Jack sat on the floor, and Sam sat next to him. Their knees were touching.

"We have a lot to discuss," Conleth said, he had a very soft voice.

"Really?" Jack asked.

"Yes, Jack," Bella said. "We have to talk about the quest you started some days ago."

"Well, let me tell you that that mission is over. We are going back to Earth."

"Jack, we understand that you are angry for what happened to Sam."

"ANGRY! ANGRY?" he yelled and stood up. "I'M NOT ANGRY, I'M FURIOUS. WE TRUSTED YOU, AND YOU" he pointed to Bella, "YOU SENT US HERE, WHERE FIRST," he started marking his words with his fingers, "WE WERE MADE PRISONERS, THEN, I WAS SELECTED TO BE SACRIFICED, AND FINALLY THEY KILLED SA-CARTER!" He stopped, trying to regain his breathing, "AND YOU THINK I HAVE GOOD REASONS TO BE ANGRY! I AM NOT ANGRY, I AM FURIOUS!"

Sam watched as Jack yelled at the Ancients. She didn't think that yelling at the Ancients was a good idea, but Jack always did things she would never do, and he was, after all, still alive.

"Jonathan, please," Morfin said. "If you let us, we can explain everything to you."

"Explain? There is nothing to explain," Jack said very coldly.

"Jack," Conleth said.

Jack was going to say something when, "Sir" Sam said, "I think we should hear what they have to say before we go home"

Jack looked at her, "Carter, you almost died because of them."

"Yes, and I _am_ alive because of them too."

The Ancients looked at each other. They knew Sam was the only one that could make Jack do anything, even things he didn't want to do. He sat down. He was glued to Sam, not only their knees were tocuhing now, but he had his hand on her thigh and their shoulders were touching.

"We will stay and listen, but this doesn't mean we won't be going back home."

"Thank you," Morfin said to Sam. "Now, it is time for you to know why you were brought here and what will happen next."

"Nothing will happen next because we are going home," Jack said stubbornly. He was acting like a kid.

"Of course, Jack," Bella said. He looked at her with his brown eyes almost closed. He didn't believe her.

"I'm serious about this."

"We know," Bella answered him smiling.

"Sir," Sam said, "why don't we let them talk?"

Jack didn't answer.

"You have passed the second test," Morfin said, looking at Jack to see if he was going to say something. When Jack didn't, he continued on, "This test consisted in confirming how strong your love is."

"When Samantha," Fallon said for the first time, her voice was like the voice of a little girl,

"saved you, Jonathan, giving her life in exchange, part of the test was achieved."

"Part?" Sam asked. She had had the feeling her sacrifice was what had them passing the whole test.

"Yes. Part of the test," Bella said. "When Jack killed Ganan, he showed how much he loved you, and the test was succesfully completed."

"Why?" Sam asked. She didn't understand.

"You gave you life for Jonathan, Samantha," Fallon said, "and Jonathan gave part of his soul for you."

"Part of his soul?"

Jack was looking at the fire, "When you kill someone, your heart, your soul, is broken. Part of your soul leaves you when you kill" he said.

"Jonathan gave part of his soul for you, Samantha."

Sam covered her mouth with her hands. She didn't know that. "We have killed many people," she said after the initial shock.

"Yes, we have, Carter," Jack said in a bitter tone. Sam looked at him and lost herself in those beautiful brown eyes.

The Ancients saw the silent conversation that was taking place between the two officers.

"You don't have to worry, Sam. Your soul is healed when you give your life for others or when you find love," Bella said trying to calm her down, "And you give your life every time you go through the Stargate to save Earth and other races from destruction."

"How?" Sam looked at the Ancient woman.

"Love heals more wounds that any other thing."

Sam nodded. She understood but still had a lot of thinking to do. One of the things she needed to know was how Jack knew all this.

"As the test has been passed, you are able now to explore the walls of the Temple to continue to your next destination."

"No. No." Jack said. "We are going home and only home."

"Jonathan," Morfin said, "if you go home now, you will never find the Lost Lovers City."

"The Lost Lovers City?" Sam asked.

The Ancients smiled widely.

* * *

A/N: I love reviews so thank you for reviewing. 


	30. Chapter 29

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXIX

"The stories tell that the two that will fulfill the prophecy will be able to open the City."

"You said the Lost Lovers City," Sam said.

"I did," Fallon said, "That's the name we gave the City when in became unreachable for us."

"Because only those who will fulfill the prophecy are able to open the City again, and the man and woman are lovers," Bella said smiling.

"And what does suppose to mean to us?" Jack asked.

"We believe, Jonathan, that you and Samantha are the ones the prophecy refers to," Morfin said.

Sam's mouth opened. Jack smiled, "I am sure you think so," he said, "Now, tell me what else do you believe in, perhaps that Superman exists?"

The Ancients looked at him stunned. Jack obviously didn't believe them.

"No, wait. Perhaps you believe that the Goa'ulds are Gods or that we will do whatever you want after what _you_ did to us."

"I thought you would say that we believe in Santa," Bella said smiling as if Jack's words were exactly what she was expecting.

"Oh, no," Jack said with a little smile, "Everyone knows Santa really exists," he finished seriously.

Sam looked at him shocked. Jack was talking seriously about Santa.

Bella's smile faded, "You believe in Santa?" she asked.

The Ancients couldn't believe he was talking seriously.

"Of course," Jack said, "Santa exists, and _everybody_ knows that."

"Sir," Sam said, "Santa doesn't exist."

When she saw Jack about to argue, she continued, "It's impossible to give all those presents in a night without being detected by our satellites." She tried to give a more or less scientific explanation to him. Everybody knew that the parents were the ones that bought the kids the presents, and Jack had been a father.

"Carter, Carter," Jack said smiling a smile that said 'there are so many things you still don't know, gorgeous."

"Santa can stop the time for everybody but him. So he can do whatever he wants without being detected."

"Sir, that theory doesn't have any scientific basis."

"In this case science in wrong, Carter," Jack said. "Faith is the only thing required."

Sam was going to say something when, "I think this discussion is really fascinating, but we have other things to do," Conleth cut in.

"Really?" Jack looked at him.

"Yes, Jack. We were talking about the prophecy, remember?"

Jack groaned.

Sam looked at Conleth, "Jonas said something about a prophecy, but we don't know what it says."

"We told Earth what the prophecy says, and they reached the same conclusion we did."

"Really?" Jack asked again. "Perhaps you could tell us what it says. If that isn't too much to ask, of course."

The Ancients smiled. Jack was being really hostile towards them, but they were expecting this after all.

* * *

"Holy shit!"

"Carter!" Jack exclaimed. He was smiling, "Your mouth!"

"Sorry, sir, but I never received the memo that said that you were the only one that could say those two words." Sam told him smiling. "But what the prophecy says…"

"Could refer to a lot of people, Carter," Jack said smiling.

"How?" she asked. Sometimes the way he saw things amazed her.

Jack smiled, "Tell me the first line, Bella,"

"When a man and a woman meet," 

"That could be anyone."

The Ancients smiled.

"Go on."

"When two warriors fall in love," 

"We are not warriors. We are soldiers, first. Second, it doesn't say that the warriors have to be a man and a woman, and, lastly, it doesn't say the two warriors have to fall for each other."

This time Sam was the one that smiled. He was thinking pretty fast to analyze the prophecy

that way.

"_When those who are not any more humans accept their destiny,"_ Bella said. She wanted to hear what Jack was going to say about this.

"This line could talk about any 'alien' whose great great great grandfather was taken from Earth, and is no more entirely human. You know what Nirti said about Jonas. Now, the rest of the prophecy doesn't talk about any man, woman or being just about the Ancients and the Asgards," Jack said. "As you can see, anyone can be able to do whatever you think we have to do or can do."

The Ancients were shocked. Jack had interpreted the prophecy in a way that they hadn't even thought about, and they had had a _lot_ of time to think about it. Of course, they knew Jack and Sam were the ones the prophecy talked about, but they were marveled by the way Jack had thought about it.

"Jack," Sam said with a shy smile, "you know perfectly well that the prophecy talks about us."

"No, Sam," Jack said, "our destiny is not written. _We_ decide what we do with our lives."

"I know, Jack, but think a little bit about all this," Sam said. "Please, open your mind a little. Don't be so stubborn."

"Stubborn? Stubborn! I'm not stubborn, Sam. I know that if you want to see us reflected in those words, you can, but," Jack said and raised one finger to stop her from talking,

"Prophecies have a lot of interpretation, and you can't live your life thinking of a prophecy that might or might not refer to you."

The Ancients were really impressed. They knew Jack was intelligent, very intelligent, but it was really strange for him to show it.

"When did you become a philosopher?" Sam asked him smiling.

Jack looked at her and smiled back, "There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Sam."

* * *

A/N: I know this chapter is short, but my muse has not appear this week. I will try to write a longer chapter next time.

Thanks for all the reviews and well, that's all.


	31. Chapter 30

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXX

"Do you want to know what the problem is that I see with this plan?"

"Yes, Jacob, we want to know," Jumper said. He was tired, and they weren't reaching any decisions. Jacob and Selmak were a pain in the ass sometimes.

"The date."

- Jacob, I believe General Jumper is a little tired of us.

- I don't care, Selmak. We are talking about the future of Sam and Jack and the kids they might some day have.

- You are thinking about the grandchildren you might have? That is fascinating, Jacob!

- Why?

- Because this means that you have accepted the idea that they might be sleeping together right now.

- Selmak! That's not funny.

"The date?"

"Yes. What date do we put in the paper?" Jacob asked coming back from his little conversation with Selmak.

"I see," Garibaldi said. "Well, I think we should put in the document the date of a month ago. That way, I don't think we will have any problems."

"Yes," Ford said. "Only that it's illegal."

"Yes, well," Garibaldi said with a nervous gesture. "There's no way we can do this in the right way and stay safe from the press. Think of it. We are talking about a change that we are going to say was made before…." The Admiral moved his hands looking for a word, "this incident happened"

"And don't forget," Hammond said, "that the President didn't say anything about this change in the press conference when they asked him about Jack and Sam."

"Well," Ford said, "he can always say that as the change is new, he didn't think about it at the moment."

The men present, again, in the General's office, nodded in agreement.

"Then we have a problem with the relationship between Colonel Carter and the detective."

"Why?"

"Let me put it this way," Jumper said, "if you're going to marry someone, you would tell that person if a big change is made in your work place, wouldn't you? More if this change involves you, don't you think?"

"Yes," Ford said. "So the Colonel would have told her groom the news."

"That's right," Jumper said.

"No. Not if she was ordered not to tell anyone," Jacob said after a few minutes of silence.

They looked at him.

"Why?" Jumper asked.

"Sam's work is classified, and anything that happens inside or outside the mountain related to her work is classified, and if she was ordered not to tell anyone, she has to follow the orders. She is in the Air Force after all. And even if the chain of command may have changed a bit, she still has to follow orders from someone. All of us follow orders. She isn't an exception."

The Generals and the Admiral smiled. Jacob had found the solution to one of the many problems that the whole situation was generating.

"Now, the next point in the diary is what do we do about Shannahan"

* * *

Cassie was eating some popcorn and watching The War of the Worlds on DVD when the phone rang. She had it next to her because she was waiting for Bobby's, her new boyfriend, call. 

"Hello," she said.

"Good evening. Is Jonathan there?" a woman's voice asked.

"Jonathan?" Cassie asked the person in the other side of the line, "Oh! You mean Jack."

Cassie knew how to add two and two, "No, Uncle Jack is not here. Who is it?"

"I'm Liz, his sister."

"Uncle Jack has a sister!" Cassie cried out. This were very nice news. She didn't know anything about Jack's family. In fact, nobody knew anything about his family. She had to tell Daniel. Now!

"UH, yeah," Liz said. "He has three sisters."

"Three? Wow, I have to tell Daniel," Cassie said out loud.

"Daniel? Who is Daniel?"

"Oh, just a friend of Jack's and mine," Cassie explained.

"Okay. Now, perhaps you can tell me who you are, why you are at Jonnhy's home, and

why you call him uncle Jack?" Liz asked her voice told Cassie that she was smiling at the whole situation.

"Oh, sure. Pardon me. I really forgot that you don't know me," Cassie said. "Almost everyone that calls Uncle Jack knows who I am. So I forgot you don't know me. I'm Cassie, well, Cassandra. I'm at Jonnhy's home," the girl giggled, "because I'm staying with him for a week. Then I'll be heading back to college again. And I call him Uncle Jack because he is Uncle Jack," Cassie said giggling.

Liz laughed. The girl was pretty funny, "Please tell me, why are you giggling so much?"

"Cause Uncle Jack isn't here; so I can giggle," Cassie laughed this time. "No, well, now talking seriously, Jonnhy's home? That's funny."

"Oh, I see, Johnny insists on being called Jack?"

"Everybody calls him Jack. Well, everybody but Sam and all the military and other people that work at the base. They call him 'Sir,'" Cassie told Jack's sister, "OH, and then Uncle T calls him O'Neill, but the rest of us -- that means me, Uncle Danny, Grandpa George and Grandpa Jake, we call him Jack. And now that I'm thinking about this, I don't remember what Jonas calls him, but that really doesn't matter now, don't you think?" Cassie explained. "Oh, and then you have the people that call him General," she added.

Liz was speechless. She didn't know that her brother had all those friends. After all he had been a man of solitude since Charlie died. "Tell me, Cassie, what is your relationship with Johnny?"

Cassie was going to answer when an idea crossed her mind, "Wait a second. How do I know you're really Uncle's Jack sister?"

Liz laughed, "Now you ask me that?"

"I just remembered" Cassie said timidly.

"Well, I don't know," Liz said taking pity of the girl. "Perhaps you can ask me something that you know about Johnny that as his sister I must know," she suggested Cassie.

"Yeah, let me think," Cassie said and started thinking what she knew about Jack that wasn't classified.

After a while, Liz asked, "Cassie?"

"I'm thinking. I'm thinking," Cassie said, nothing came to her mind, "Oh, I know!" she exclaimed excitedly, "Tell me what Jack says that every kid must have ……?"

Liz smiled, "Well, my big brother has always thought that kids should have dogs to play with, and he believes that that way they will learn how to be responsible and take care about other things that themselves."

"I don't know if the last things are right, but Uncle Jack says that every kid must have a dog. So you are right in a way," Cassie said thinking out loud again, "I think you are not lying to me," she said smiling. "Now, Uncle Jack is your big brother?"

"I believe I asked you a question first, Cassie."

"Oh, right. Well, my mom worked with them, and so they are my family. The guys are my uncles, and Sam is my aunt, and General Hammond and Jacob are my granddads," Cassie told Liz. "However, since my mom passed away, Jack is like a father to me, and Sam is like my mom. So I believe we are like a family." she reflected.

Liz didn't know what to say in regards the last words of the young woman. So she said what she had thought before hearing her last statement, "Who are 'the guys'?"

"Jack, Sam, Daniel and T" Cassie explained.

"When you say Sam ,you're talking about Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter?"

"Yeah, how do you know her?" Cassie asked, "Uncle Jack has talked to you about her?"

"No, well, actually I haven't talked with Johnny for over ten years."

"Oh, since Charlie, I assume."

"You know about Charlie?" Liz asked surprised that the girl knew about her dead nephew. Charlie was a subject that nobody in the family talked about. Jack had never talked about his feelings in regards his death and as the family wanted to talk, he 'closed the doors' and never talked to them again.

"Yeah, we know about him," Cassie said in a whisper.

At that moment Liz understood that the young woman and the rest of the people she had talked about were very important in Jack's / Johnny's life. It seemed to her that her big brother had found a family even though they weren't his blood family.

"Well, I haven't talked to Johnny since then, and I know about Colonel Carter because everyone is talking about them," Liz said trying to fish some more information about what was going on in her brother's life.

"Yeah, I know. I've been watching the news," Cassie said, "So, Uncle Jack isn't here. Do you want to leave a message for him? I'm not sure if he will be back before I leave for college, but I can tell Uncle Danny, and he will tell Uncle Jack that you called, or you can call the base and leave a message there," Cassie said thinking. "That's probably the best option because I don't believe Daniel will remember if he finds something interesting to do, on the other hand, I believe that he will remember Jack has a sister. So, your choice."

Liz was trying to think of everything Cassie told her and one thing went 'beep beep" in her mind, "You don't know where he is?" Liz asked.

"He is not reachable at the moment" Cassie said. "He is out of the country, and now that I think of it, Daniel is with him. So if you want to leave a message for him, call the base."

"Oh" Liz said, "I don't suppose you know something about this mess he is involved in?" she asked.

Cassie heard the hopeful voice Liz had and told her, "Shannahan is a son of a bitch. He and his mother are two of the worst people, and they don't know anything. I told Sam that she was making a BIG mistake, but she didn't hear me. I believe that if my mom had been alive, Sam would have listened to her, and she would have never dated that, ahhhhh, I hate him," Cassie said frustrated. Then she realized that Liz didn't know anything about the whole 'thing,' and that, perhaps, what she had heard on the news was making her think all the wrong things.

"Jack and Sam would never have an affair. They are the most dedicated people I know. And as the President said, they would never do anything that could jeopardize their job," Cassie finished.

Liz smiled at the other side of the line. The kid was very loyal to her brother and the Colonel. "So, I can tell mom and dad that Jack is a General now, and that he isn't in love or, well, in a relationship with a junior officer that is in his chain of command?" she asked Cassie.

"Well" Cassie said slowly, "you can tell your parents that Jack is a Brigadier General, that he is in charge of the most classified base of the world and that Jack and Sam would never do anything to jeopardize their job," Cassie repeated.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Liz asked concerned.

"Oh, I have to go. Uncle Danny came to pick me up" Cassie said. "I will tell Danny that he has to tell Jack that you called," she said and put down the phone. Then she disconnected it. Bobby could call her on the cell.

After a while she realized that she had told Liz that Daniel was unreachable too, "Oops" she said and then started laughing.

* * *

"Tom" Pete said "I think we should take some measures." 

"What are you talking about?"

"Listen to me, if I don't call you everyday at 6:00, you should know that I've probably disappeared."

"What?"

"You don't know how dangerous this people are," Pete said. He was more and more desperate as the days went by and nothing happened. He had been expecting an answer from the mountain due to his actions but nothing, not a thing. They didn't say or do nothing. Only the President had spoken, but it had been very short, and he had to leave before the journalists could aske him more questions. And the things he had told the press, Pete would never vote for him again, that bastard.

And then, neither Sam nor O'Neill had returned. Not even the aliens and Dr. Jackson. Nothing, nothing, and that was making Pete very nervous. He couldn't call Mark to ask if he knew something not after what he had done.

"Pete," Tom said, "don't worry. Nothing will happen to you. The USAF doesn't do that kind of stuff, not now, in the past perhaps, but now the times have changed."

"No, not the USAF, but they don't need the special ops, Tom, they have other ways-"

"Pete, Pete, calm down, okay If you disappear, the press will know it, and the President will have to give an explanation. Don't worry. Nothing will happen to you," Tom said.

"You sure?"

"Yes, Pete. Don't worry."

* * *

"So, Jonas, how was your trip to the fish shop?" Daniel asked. He was working on a translation of a text that SG-5 had recorded on their last mission. Teal'c was looking at the tape helpìng Daniel. 

"Great. It was great. I found some really nice fish, but I won't buy them yet. I need to know if I can bring them home, cause, you know, I won't buy them if I won't be able to take them with me."

"Okay," Daniel said looking at him. "I already said that I was, am, sorry that I killed your fish, Jonas, but my mind has been on other stuff. Big things happened after you left."

"I know, Daniel. Sam told me that I should have left the fish with Teal'c," Jonas told Daniel.

"With Teal'c?" Daniel asked. He was hurt by Sam's words.

"Daniel Jackson, we all know that when you start working on a translation, you forget about everything else, even about you and the necessities of life," Teal'c said.

Daniel looked at him, "You're right," he said resigned. He really had wanted to do a good job with the fish, but after two days he forgot about them. They were pretty boring.

"Do we have any news about Sam and the General?"

"Nothing"

"General Hammond, Jacob Carter and the representatives of the Joint Chiefs are in O'Neill's office dicussing the strategy the SGC will carry on when they are back to Earth,"

Jonas sat in one of the benches in Daniel's lab, "You know, I was really impressed to hear that Jack has all of that knowledge inside of him and never uses it."

"Why would O'Neill show what he knows if Colonel Carter and Daniel Jackson are here to do the work?"

Daniel and Jonas looked at him surprised

"O'Neill is here because of his military knowledge and his field experience."

"Yeah. But it would have been nice if he had told us he knew all the things he knows," Daniel said.

"I wonder if Sam knows he knows all the things he knows," Jonas said thoughtfully.


	32. Chapter 31

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXXI

Previously on The other lost city:

"_Jack," Sam said with a shy smile, "you know perfectly well that the prophecy talks about us."_

"_No, Sam," Jack said, "our destiny is not written. We decide what we do with our lives."_

"_I know, Jack, but think a little bit about all this," Sam said. "Please, open your mind a little. Don't be so stubborn."_

"_Stubborn? Stubborn! I'm not stubborn, Sam. I know that if you want to see us reflected in those words, you can, but," Jack said and raised one finger to stop her from talking, _

"_Prophecies have a lot of interpretation, and you can't live your life thinking of a prophecy that might or might not refer to you."_

_The Ancients were really impressed. They knew Jack was intelligent, very intelligent, but it was really strange for him to show it._

"_When did you become a philosopher?" Sam asked him smiling._

_Jack looked at her and smiled back, "There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Sam."_

Now the continuation

"Like what?" Sam asked with a smile that could make the sun vanish.

"Oh," Jack answered her with that little sexy smile, "you know, stuff."

Sam leaned into Jack until their faces were almost touching. "Tell me," she whispered.

Jack swallowed. His eyes went to her lips. He wanted to kiss her so much. In fact, he wanted to make love to her so much. 'You're a sick old man, O'Neill,' he told himself, 'you're in uniform, get a grip.'

"Well," Jack coughed, "you know, Carter, stuff, I'm more than just a soldier."

"I know that, _Sir,_" Sam said. She was really close to Jack and could feel the heat that was emanating from his body, actually, from their bodies.

One of the Ancients coughed. Jack didn't know who because they were lost in each other. But with the noise, they were back to reality.

"Sorry," Sam said. She turned a little red.

"It's okay," Bella said. "Love is something unique, something that those that are lucky have."

Sam smiled at the words of the Ancient woman. She really like Bella. She was the most human of the four Ancietns that were on the planet.

"You're interpretation of the prophecy is very interesting, Jonathan," Fallon said, "but you can't analyse the lines separately. They go together. And together, you," she said pointing at Jack and Sam, "are the only ones the prophecy refers to."

"Jack," Conleth said, "we understand your reluctance to see what we see, but if you are the ones the prophecy talks about, you will be responsible of our return to Earth and of finding the solution to the Asgard's problem. Think of it," Conleth told him. "Thor and we will be in your debt."

"And don't forget that you will have a whole City to research, and you will find a lot of interesting 'things' there for you Samantha," Morfin said smiling to Sam.

Jack rolled his eyes. He knew that he was not going to return home soon. Sam was getting more and more excited at the conversation that was taking place.

"But we need Daniel," she suddenly said.

"Why?" Bella asked.

"Because we need to translate, first the walls of the temple and then the writings we might encounter in the next places we go to."

"Jonathan can do that," Fallon said smiling.

Sam was surprised. "He can?" she asked and then looked at Jack, "Sir?"

Jack sighed. He was resigned. Things weren't going as he planned. Some hours before he thought that by this time they, Sam and himself, would be in _his_ bed in _his_ house making love; but no, they were still on this planet, hundreds of light years away from Earth, talking with some Ancients, and lucky for him, he was going to tell Sam that he could do Daniel's job without hesitating about the meaning of the stuff written on the walls even once. Of course, he wasn't going to tell her that he could do her job too, perhaps not as well as she did, but he knew a lot more than any other scientist that worked on base. He wasn't a stupid man.

"Perhaps I can read Ancient, Carter."

"Perhaps?" Sam said, her voice slightly rising.

"Easy, Carter, easy, because I'm still a General, you know," Jack said looking at her.

Sam was looking at him as if she was going to kill him if she didn't like the answer he gave her.

"Okay. I can read Ancient and write it and speak it. I learned during the time loops."

Jack knew he wasn't entirely honest with her, but Sam didn't know that so….. he was used to bending the truth, that had always been part of his unofficial job.

"THAT WAS FOUR YEARS AGO," Sam yelled, then realized that she had been yelling at a Brigadier General, she added, "Sir."

Jack jumped a little at her yelling. He wasn't used to it, and he didn't like it either. He was the one that had the right to yell at people. He was the General here. 'but you're sleeping with her' a voice said in his brain, 'what's that suppose to mean?', 'things have changed. She is now yours, and you belong to her', 'I've belonged to her for a while now', 'but she didn't know that. Now she knows', 'Shut up'.

"Yeah," Jack finally said smiling. He had very nice memories of those days, actually of that day.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Why would I tell you if Danny knew all that already?"

"Because," Sam said. And that was the only thing she could say. She didn't know what else to say.

"Translating is Daniel's job, Sam" Jack said, "not mine. Mine is to bring you, genii, back home or at least as safe as I could."

"But you could have told me," Sam said. She was disappointed and at the same time she was amazed of what Jack was capable of.

Jack smiled at her. She was really cute when she didn't know what to say, when she didn't have words to say, and that was really strange. "Next time I will tell you," he said softly.

Sam smiled brightly, "Thank you. I want to know everything about you Jack, not only what I'm allowed to as a soldier."

"I know, Sam, and I want to know everything about you too, but not now. We have other things to do."

"Yeah."

The Ancients had been watching the interaction between the lovers. They were fascinated by how they could behave in a very formal way and the next second speak as if they were alone with no one else watching and hearing them.

"So," Bella said interrupting the moment with a very good imitation of Jack, "are you going to continue?"

"I don't see why we can't," Sam simply said.

"Carter?" Jack said. The last thing he knew was that _he_ was the one that had a star on the shoulder. She didn't.

"Sir? Come on! This is a great opportunity," Sam told him.

Jack looked at her. He knew they were going to continue the quest the moment she started talking with the Ancients, but he wasn't going to show her he had been beatten so easily. He wouldn't show her that he would do anything she asked him to do.

"First, we have to recover our weapons and other equipment. We can't go to other planets unarmed; then, we have to contact the SGC and ask if we have permission. And finally we have to eat something, Sam because I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

Sam smiled, "I think I could eat a whole cow alone, Jack."

Jack smiled back at her. He really would like to see if she could do that. Sam never did eat very much.

"So that's what we are going to do."

"This means we are going to continue the journey; right?" Sam asked. She wanted to clarify the situation.

Jack sighed again, "Yes, Carter. You go and recover our stuff, and I will go to talk to Hammond."

"Sir, you'll need SG-1's signal."

"No. Our friend Morfin can take care of everything," he said, smiling at Sam and patting the Ancient's back.

--

Some time later Jack was at the Gate.

"Okay, Morfin, do your thing. Open Earth's Gate for me."

"As you wish, Jonathan," Morfin said. He didn't like the way Jack talked to them. He didn't respect them the way he should as they were THE Ancients, but he understood the need they have for this human. He liked Daniel better. He was a very good specimen. He had ascended once. So he knew how the Ancients should be treated.

But Jack, Jack was another case. He had had the Ancients' knowledge twice and knew more about them, a lot more than any other human, but he didn't treat them as he was supposed to. Of course, Morfin knew Jack acted this way with everyone and not only them. That was the reason he was so respected in the whole Galaxy.

Morfin dialed Earth's address and opened the iris; Jack walked through the water wall to go home, at least for a few minutes.

**

* * *

**

"Unscheduled off-world activation."

The representatives of the Joint Chiefs, General Hammond, Jacob Carter, the remaining members of SG-1 and Jonas went running to the control room. The Tok'ra, Anise and Malek, had left as they understood they weren't going to be needed on Earth and had urgent matters to work on in other places. Selmak was the only Tok'ra that was staying, and that was only because she and Jacob were responsible for the whole situaiton. The Tok'ra weren't happy with the pair, not happy at all.

"Close the iris."

"I can't," the Gate technician said.

As he was saying that Jack came through the Gate as did Morfin in his human form. The marines that were looking after the Gate inmediatly lowered their weapons as seeing the CO of the base.

"Jack!"

"O'Neill"

Everyone who was gathered in the control room that didn't work in the control room 'ran' to the Gate room.

"Jack," Hammond said, "Where is Colonel Carter?" he asked with concern in his voice.

"She is on the planet recovering our things."

"She is coming home?" Jacob asked.

- You know she isn't Jacob.

- I can still ask.

"Sorry Jake, but she isn',t and I'm not staying long either," Jack explained, "I came here looking for food. Airman," Jack shouted the first one that came to his sight in the room, "I need MREs for a week for a team of four NOW," Jack said and turned again to his friends.

Looking at them he realized who was there too, "General Jumper, General Ford, Admiral Garibaldi, welcome to my base."

The three men smiled, "Thank you, Jack."

"Jack" Jacob said.

He looked at Jake, "Things are complicated, Dad, but don't worry, I will look after her."

"I know that, Jack."

"And Generals, Admiral, I know Morfin talked to you, amd I know you know the situation. Do we have permission to continue?"

"Yes Jack, the President has been informed and once again he gave you permission"

Jack nodded, "How are we going to explain what could happen when we return home?" Jakc didn't want them to know that things had happened. At least not with Jacob there.

"Don't worry about that Jack" Ford said, "we are taking care of everything"

"Okay" Jack said looking at the airmen that were gathering the MREs with a big smile on his face.

"Jack?"

"Yes, Daniel?" he asked looking at them, still smiling.

"Everything all right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Jack said not thinking. "Why?"

"Nothing, just a big smile," Daniel said grinning.

Jack looked puzzled, then his smile grew, if that could be possible, even more, "Oh, you know, I love going through the Gate."

"And a blond Colonel," Jacob said smiling.

"Jake?" Jack gasped alarmed.

"Jack?"

"What are you saying?"

"Nothing, Jack, nothing," Jacob said.

"Sir," the airman said, "we finished gathering the MREs. They are ready for travel, sir."

"Thank you," Jack said. He still had a big smile on his face. No one in the Gate and Control room could believe the man was smiling. He never smiled anymore. "So, people, I hope we see you soon. But you know with these people," he said pointing with his head to Morfin that had stayed apart watching the interactions between the humans and the aliens present in the room, "you never know. Morfin, I'm ready."

"Very well, Jonathan," Morfin said and suddenly the Gate started working.

"Jack," Daniel said, "be careful."

"As always."

"Jack," Jacob said this time, "if you hurt her, I'll kill you."

Jack looked in the eyes to Jacob and said, "I would die first." Then turned and left Earth for who knows how long.

* * *

"Why is he taking so long?" Sam asked Bella and Fallon. Conleth had left when Morfin 'called' telling them that they were on the planet and that they needed help to carry all the things Jack had brought from Earth. 

The Ancients smiled. "Why are you so impatient?"

"I don't know," Sam said. She had started pacing around the fire that the Ancients had made many hours ago, and it didn't seem to go down. "I want to see him."

"You didn't know Jonathan knew Ancient, Samantha, how does this make you feel?"

Sam looked at Fallon, "I don't know. I knew Jack is much more intelligent that what he shows, but I never thought he was able to write, read and speak Ancient," Sam said, "Do you think he knows a lot of other things that I don't know about?"

"I believe Jack is much more complex than what he lets you know, Sam," Bella said.

"Well, I know very little about Jack. I know a bit more about General O'Neill."

"Really?"

Suddenly Sam blushed. "Well, now, I realize I know a _lot_ of Jack," she said giggling.

"What have I said about giggling, Carter?" Jack said coming to where the three 'ladies' were.

Sam gave him a smile that could break the sun into pieces, "Jack! I missed you," she said and ran towards him and hugged him fiercely.

Jack was surprised but answer her hug by holding her tighter. Then his arms went to her waist, "I missed you too, Sam," he said in her ear. "Something wrong?" he asked concerned.

Sam looked at him and kissed him on the lips, "No, just that I missed you and that I'm hungry," she said smiling, "very hungry"

Jack grinned at her. He loved seeing Sam so affectionate and demonstrative. "I brought a lot of food for you, Carter."

"Just for me?" she asked hopefully.

Jack rasied his eyebrow, "No, for me too," he said and laughed at seeing Sam's disappointed face. "Come on, let's eat," he said taking Sam to the fire where Morfin and Conleth had put the MREs.

* * *

An hour later, Jack was shocked by all the food Sam had eaten. 

"I was hungry," she said shyly.

"I believe you," he said, "but are you all right?"

He was really worried, Sam never behaved the way she was now. She had eaten a lot and was now cuddling in his arms, not that he was complaining about that, but it was really strange.

"Yeah," Sam said yawning, "I'm just a little tired."

"Sleep, Sam," Jack said kissing her head. "We have all the time in the world."

Sam smiled at his comment. Then a thought went through her mind that worried her, "Are you staying with me?" she asked Jack looking straight into his brown eyes.

He smiled, "Of course, love, I will stay forever with you," he said and leaned to kiss her.

Sam responded opening her mouth at the first contact waiting for his delicious tongue. Jack understood inmediately and deepened the kiss. He loved kissing Sam. He loved having Sam in his arms like this, and he loved the way her hands were touching his body. Suddenly he realized where her hands were going and stopped kissing her, "Sam."

"Mmmmhmmm," was the only answer. She was now kissing his neck with long wet kisses.

"We can't do this, Sam."

She stopped, "Why?"

When Jack looked into her eyes, he saw how dark they were and shuddered at the thoughts that ran through his mind. "Because we aren't alone."

Sam smiled lazily, "If we ask them, they'll leave us alone."

Jack raised his right eyebrow, "They will?"

Sam leaned forward and whispered near his ear, "They what us to make a baby, Jack, because they believe that our baby will be an Ancient." She bit his ear and attacked his neck again.

Jack was still thinking about what Sam told him, and she was taking advantage of the moment, and Jack's body was answering her in the way she wanted.

"No, Sam, wait," Jack said trying to think straight.

"Jaack," she said huskily.

"We can't," he said. "We have to sleep, and then we're starting our journey, remember?

Come on," he said.

"If this is what you want," she said pounting but giving into Jack's demands.

* * *

They've been sleeping for 15 hours now. The Ancients couldn't believe how much they were sleeping. 

"Why are they sleeping so much?" Fallon asked.

"I don't know" Bella said, "They might be tired."

"Perhaps."

"Look. They are waking up."


	33. Chapter 32

I know its been a while but I have been studying. I have a test this week and I am working a lot. So it was difficult to write the story. Thanks Alicia for correcting the chapter. Hope you like it!

* * *

**The other lost city **

Chapter XXXII

Cassie was, once again, watching a movie when the phone rang. She was mad. Bobby hadn't called her when he was supposed to, and _she_ wasn't going to call _him_. Sam would kick her ass if she knew she was 'crying' for a man.

"Who is it?" she asked without manners.

"That's the way you answer the phone?"

"Uncle Danny!" Cassie yelled excited. "You're back!"

"No, I'm calling from off-" he stopped. Daniel was going to say a word that couldn't be said now, the line might not be sure anymore, "the place I was suppose to be."

Cassie smiled to herself, "You know, Daniel, you should think before you speak."

"I know, Cassie, I know. They have told me that a lot of times," Daniel said apologizing. "I was calling to check on you. Everything okay?"

"Bobby hasn't called," Cassie said sadly. "He was supposed to yesterday, and he didn't."

Daniel smiled at the words Cassie was saying. He couldn't believe she hada a boyfriend now! For him, she was Janet'sd little girl. "I'm sure something more important than you happened to him Cass" Daniel said trying to ease the bad humor of the girl. "If he is a smart guy he'll call soon, if he doesn't he isn't worth it"

"Yeah" Cassie said. "So when is Jack coming home?"

"Uhhhhh, well" Daniel began, "he isn't here. He is out of the country."

"But you're here," Cassie stated.

"Yes, Teal'c, Jonas, Jacob, and I came back."

"And Jack and Sam?" Cassie asked alarmed. "Are they okay?"

"Don't worry, Cassie, Jack and Sam are fine," Daniel said. "They'll have to continue traveling alone."

"Alone?"

"Yes" Daniel said. He was disappointed that he wasn't going to be able to see the City, but the possibility of finally putting an end to all the (sexual) tension that had been growing with the years between those two was worth it, "That's how _my_ friends wanted it. So we don't have word there."

"Your friends?" Cassie was lost there. She knew who were Jack's friends and T's and Jacob's friends but not who were Daniel's.

"You know, Cassie," Daniel said trying to explain, "The people with whom I spent some time until some months ago."

Cassie was still lost for a moment. Then, suddenly she understood, "AHHHHHH, I see. They came?"

"Yes," Daniel said happy that Cassie had understood. "They told us that Jack and Sam were going to stay with them for some time."

"So you don't know when they're coming back?"

"No. We don't," Daniel said. "Cassie, I will try to call you everyday if I can."

"If you remember," Cassie corrected him. "Daniel, you don't have to worry. I'm okay here. Jack left a lot of food for me, and I've got a lot of movies to watch and a computer. I'll be all right and don't forget I'm leaving in a few days," Cassie added.

"You sure?"

"Yeah," Cassie said. "Of course, I will tell Jack that you forgot about me when he comes back," she said laughing.

"No, you don't. He will never forgive me, and Sam will get mad at me."

"Okay. Okay," she said between giggles, "I won't tell them."

"Thank you, Cas. Now, I have to go. Talk to you later."

"Yes, Danny, later," Cassie said absently. Suddenly, she remembered what she had been wanting to tell him. "Wait. Wait. I've got something to tell you."

"What?" Daniel asked concerned, "Something happened to you?"

"No. No. Danny, nothing wrong. Just that you wouldn't believe who called," Cassie said smiling.

"Who?"

"Guess."

"Come on, Cassie" Daniel said. "Tell me," he ordered.

"Someone called Jack" Cassie said playing. She was going to have a little fun.

"Don't know."

"Come on, Uncle Danny. Guess!" Cassie ordered him.

"Uhhhhh – ohh, Shannahan?"

"NOOOO," Cassie yelled. "What do you have in your head?"

"Sorry, sorry," Daniel apologized. "Let me think. Perhaps a woman?"

"Yes!" Cassie exclaimed.

"You're happy because a woman called Jack? I thought you wanted Jack and Sam to be

together."

"And I want that."

"So why are you so happy?" Daniel asked. He didn't understand Cassie sometimes. Actually, he didn't understand women in general sometimes.

"Now, you have to guess _who_ was that woman," Cassie told him.

"Come on, Cassie," Daniel cried out. He was losing his patience.

"Guess," Cassie insisted.

"I don't have time," Daniel lied. He had nothing to do. So he had a lot of time.

"Come on. It's easy."

"I don't know, a doctor?"

"Well, I don't know if she is a doctor, I didn't asked" Cassie said and taking pity of poor Daniel she added, "I will tell you her name, Liz."

"Liz?" Daniel repeated. Jack never talked about a Liz before, he didn't have a clue.

"ONE" Cassie said, "OF" she paused, "JACK'S" she paused again,"SISTERS, CHAN."

Daniel didn't say anything. He was shocked.

"Pardon me?"

"JACK HAS THREE SISTERS!" Cassie yelled.

"WHAT!"

"JACK HAS THREE SISTERS," Cassie repeated.

"WOOOOOW, I didn't know that."

"Me either," Cassie said calmly.

"WOW."

"I know."

"What did she tell you?"

"She wanted to talk to Jack."

"I can imagine that."

"Daniel, I am the sarcastic when Jack isn't home."

"Okay, okay, Cassie, I understand. So, what did _you_ tell her?"

"That Jack was traveling, that he wasn't in the country."

"Good answer," Daniel pointed. "What did she tell you about Jack's family?"

Cassie smiled, Danny loved to gossip. "He has three sisters, Daniel, three!" Cassie said still not believing that Jack had three sisters and didn't tell them, "and she said something about her parents"

"Jack's parents are alive?"

"He is not _that_ old, Danny," Cassie yelled to Daniel who began to laugh.

"I know, Cass, I know," he said between laughs. "But I think _he_ thinks he is old."

"Why would he think that?"

"I don't know, perhaps the grey in his hair, but I think he believes he is too old for Sam."

"That's bullshit."

"I know, but that's what I believe Jack thinks," Daniel told her. "So what else did she say?" he asked changing the subject.

"She was concerned about all the things that had been said about Jack and Sam on TV. I told her that all of that was lies. That Jack and Sam would never do anything against regulations."

"And what else did you say?"

"Nothing. I had to hang up."

"Why?"

"Because she thought that what I meant was that they weren't in love. So I corrected her. So then I realized what I had done and told her that you had arrived and that I had to leave. So I hung up."

"I see," Daniel said thoughtfully. "That wasn't something very intelligent."

"But what was I supposed to tell her?" Cassie asked. "I couldn't tell her the truth, and I don't know what you say when someone asks you about this either, Daniel."

"Don't worry, Cassie. You did the right thing." Daniel tried to assure the kid. "When Jack comes back, we're gonna have a lot of fun," he said smiling.

"You, because I'll be at college."

"Actually, we don't know how much it will take them to complete their mission."

* * *

Some time later, Teal'c entered Daniel's lab.

"Daniel Jackson, you wanted to talk to me?"

"Yeah, Teal'c," Daniel said smiling, "I have news."

Teal'c raised his eyebrow .

"Jack has three sisters!" he told the Jaffa.

Teal'c's expression didn't change.

"So?" the archeologist asked impatiently.

"That is not news to me, Daniel Jackson."

"WHAT!" he yelled.

"I have known for a long time of the existence of Elizabeth O'Neill, Margaret O'Neill and Miracles O'Neill."

"How?" Daniel asked astonished. "I didn't know about them." He was hurt that Teal'c had known about Jack's sisters and he didn't.

"O'Neill told me."

"He told you?"

"O'Neill never wants to talk about his family, but when we went fishing, there were pictures in his cabin."

"OH."

"You would have known if you have accepted O'Neill's invitation to go fishing."

"Yeah, I suppose," Daniel said still hurt.

"Was that all, Daniel Jackson?"

"Yes, Teal'c. Thanks."

"You are welcome," Teal'c said and left the poor archeologist alone in his lab thinking.


	34. Chapter 33

A/N: I do not like this chapter, but this is the only thing I could write this week. I will try and write a better chapter, but you will have to be patiencie with me. Thanks Alicia!

* * *

**The other lost city **

Chapter XXXIII

Mark had spoken with his father about what was he going to do with his family. They couldn't stay in Colorado. They had to return home. They had to continue with their lives.

The kids were waiting in the car, ready to go back home, as was Emily. He was closing Sam's home when Pete appeared.

"Mark."

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see if Sam was back," Pete said.

Mark looked at him, "If my family wasn't here, I would kill you, you bastard," he said with a hate in his eyes and with a tone that surprised Pete.

"Mark!" Pete exclaimed hurt.

"You're a son of a bitch," he hissed.

Pete's eyes narrowed, "I won't let you insult my mother."

"I will say whatever I want about you and your mother," Mark yelled losing his patience. "how dare you come here after what you've done! and don't tell me it was the right thing! _You,_" he pointed at Pete, "you don't know anything, and if it weren't for the fact that the President, _The President_, and the Joint Chiefs know my sister and her ComMANDING OFFICER, you would have ruined her career!"

Pete was going to interrupt him.

"don't you dare put me against my little sister. Sam and Jack are-"

"Now IT'S Jack?" Pete yelled. "you callED him by his name? Next thing you'll call him brother!"

"Well, if you must know, I wouldn't have any problem in calling him that way, Jack O'Neill is an honorable man that would never treat Sam the way you did," Mark said in an icy voice. "He would never ask Sam to leave her job, to stop doing what she loves. Something you wanted her to do," Mark said and went to his car, "Don't think about calling me again, and I will call my father to tell him you came looking for Sam. He'll make sure you never go near her again. I give you my word," Mark finished, started the car and left. They had a long journey, and he didn't want to see Pete again in his life.

Pete was pale. Now he was really scared.

* * *

Jack was tired. He wasn't the diplomatic in the team, that was Daniel's role. He was the soldier, the commander, the one that gave orders. But now he was in charge of the "communication department."

They've been on this planet for some hours. It was a nice planet with a lot of trees. It was a forest, a huge forest, the entire planet. The only thing you could see were trees, everywhere. And you could choose, the size, the colour of the trunk, everything. There were trees that were as big as a building of ten floors with very tiny orange leaves, trees very little of the height of a man with huge purple leaves. You have, of course the normal trees, the ones you could find on Earth.

Then there was the noise. You could hear the sound of water. Apparently there were a lot of waterfalls. And there were a lot of birds on the trees because you could hear them.

The fauna was incredible. Sam was really, really impressed. She had told Jack that a zoologist team should return here to study the species they had seen and all the others that were on the planet. She was amazed.

He wasn't at all. The only thing he wanted to do was to return home, now that he had a home with Sam. Perhaps they didn't have the physical place, but she was his home, and if she was with him, nothing else matter to him. Sam was everything. But no, they have to go chasing clues that would, at the end, tell them were "this" City was located. And now, he had to talk to the chief of the tribe that they had come across.

They had been met by a group of kids. They were dressed like Tarzan, with loin cloths that covered the places that had to be covered, and they had arrows and knifes. The way they talked was pretty strange. They had words that didn't mean anything to Jack.

"Carter," he whispered, "I think they have invented some of the words."

Sam looked at him puzzled. She had been surprised by the way Jack had done Daniel's job. He was faster and very sure of what he was doing. He didn't hesitate even once when traducing the address of the planet they were now on.

"What?" she answered in a whisper too.

They were in the middle of the procession. They had kids in front and behind them.

The children had been as surprised as they had been to meet them. And, thankfully, they had reacted well and didn't start shooting their arrows and knifes against Jack and Sam like in the other planet. They had been suspicious at first. Jack still thought they were apprehensive, but they were taking them to their camp. That had to mean something just that he didn't know if it was good or bad, yet.

"I believe we are going to have the surprise of our life, Carter."

The leader of the kids looked at them. Jack smiled, "Esta bien. Nos callamos," he said.

The kid nodded.

* * *

Some hours later they reached a place, a "waste ground". It was like a circle with no trees. Of course, there were trees on the sides. A new kid appeared. She had to be around 16. Caty was her name. At least that was the name she answered to. She was slim, with beautiful blue eyes and light brown curls. Jack smiled. She looked exactly like one of the combinations he had thought about.

"¿Por qué sonreís?" the girl asked Jack.

"Me recuerdas a alguien."

She looked at him puzzled, "¿A quién?"

Jack gave her a tiny smile, and the girl went red. "A alguien que todavía no nació."

"¿Entonces cómo te puedo recordar a ese alguien?" she asked.

"Por mi imaginación."

In the mean time, Sam looked at them. She didn't understand the language, but by the way the kids were looking at Jack, it wasn't something that could make them die.

Caty looked at him and laughed.

"What are you saying to her?" Sam asked.

"Later" he answered.

'Okay' Sam thought, 'if you don't want to tell me'

"Por aquí, síganme," Caty said, "les voy a presentar a Aureliano, él es el mas grande entre nosotros."

"Cuántos años tiene?"

"Años?"

Jack looked puzzled, he didn't know what other word to use. "ehh, cuántos veranos tiene?"

Caty didn't understand what he was trying to say.

"No importa. Ya veremos," Jack said.

They reached the camp, and when they saw it, both stopped dead in their tracks. They only saw kids. There were children averywhere. There were no adults there, at least they didn't see any.

"Síganme."

They entered a "house." It was like a hut in one of the sizes of the camp. There they saw a boy that was as tall as Jack with long blond hair and brown eyes. Sam realized that all the children had light hair.

"Quiénes son ellos?"

"Llegaron a través de la punku."

The kid looked at them, "Son adultos."

"Lo somos," Jack said, "y ustedes son todos niños."

"Hablas nuestra simi."

Jack was the one that looked puzzled this time, "No entiendo."

Aureliano looked at him thoughtfully, "Como saber si no son millay, Caty?"

"No lo creo. El chacha es simpático."

Jack looked at the girl and smiled to her. He knew she was talking about him.

"Nosotros somos viajeros," he started explaining. "Estamos buscando algún templo que haya por acá."

"Por qué?"

"Los Antiguos nos han mandado aquí, tenemos una misión que cumplir."

With those words the tension in the room faded. Sam didn't understand what Jack was saying, but she had the impression, once again, that things weren't going in the wrong way.

"Síganme."

"Okay," Jack said.

* * *

The languaje it's Spanish, I will put in English what the lines mean:

"esta bien, nos callamos": Okay, we shut up.

"¿Por qué sonreís?": why are you smiling?

"Me recuerdas a alguien": you make me remember someone (?)

"¿A quién?": who?

"A alguien que todavía no nació": someone that hasn't been born, yet (?)

"¿Entonces cómo te puedo recordar a ese alguien?": so, how is it that I can make you remember someone?

"Por mi imaginación": becuase of my imagination

"les voy a presentar a Aureliano, él es el mas grande entre nosotros": I will present you to Aureliano, he is the oldest one.

"Cuántos años tiene?": How old is he?

"Años?": years?

"ehh, cuántos veranos tiene?": how many summers does he have?

"No importa, ya veremos": it doesn't matter, we'll see.

"Síganme": follow me

"Quiénes son ellos?": who are they?

"Llegaron a través de la punku": they came through the Stargate

"son adultos": they are adults

"Lo somos": we are

"y ustedes son todos niños": and you are children

"como saber si no son millay, Caty?": how do we know if they aren't demons Caty?

"No lo creo, el chacha es simpático": I don't think so, the male is nice

"Nosotros somos viajeros": we are explorers

"estamos buscando algún templo que haya por acá": we are looking for some kind of temple

"Por qué?": why?

"Los Antiguos nos han mandado aquí, tenemos una misión que cumplir": the Ancients sent us, we have a misión to fulfill

The words that aren't in Spanish are Inca's, the mean:

punku: puerta

millay: demonios

chacha: male


	35. Chapter 34

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXXIV

Jack and Sam followed Aureliano and Caty through the city. The kids were gathering around as the news that two adults had come though the Stargate was spreading.

Sam was looking around, wishing she would see an adult soon. The possibility that there were no adults on that planet was starting to appear in her mind, and she didn't like it. Suddenly she felt dizzy.

"Sir," she said in a calm voice.

Jack was walking ahead of her. So he turned around at the precise moment Sam fell unconscious to the ground

"Carter!" he yelled and ran to her, cathching her before she hit the floor. "Carter?" he asked. Jack was really concerned. The love of his life was lying on the surface of a planet that wasn't their home with no doctor around to examine her.

"Esta muerta?" one of the kids asked. (Is she dead?)

"No," Jack said, not looking at the children. "Come on, love. Wake up."

* * *

Sam groaned. Her head was killing her. She stood up, and suddenly she felt ill. She started looking for a bathroom. When she didn't see one, she simply threw up where she was. Sam was feeling really, really ill.

"Sam?" Jack said running to where she was, "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" she answered. At seeing Jack's hurt face, "Sorry" she caressed his face,

"I'm not feeling well."

"I know, you scared me to death, Sam."

"Sorry, but I don't know what's wrong with me, I don't get ill, not since Jolinar."

Jack hugged her, "You better rest for a while. The kids will look after you until I come back."

Sam looked at him worried, "Where are you going?"

"One of us has to go and see the Temple."

At seeing that Sam was going to say something, "No, Sam, you aren't coming."

"But I don't want to stay alone, Sir."

"Why?"

"I don't trust these children."

Jack raised his eyebrow, "You don't?"

"Have you found out what happened to all the adults?"

"No," Jack said, seeing that perhaps Sam thought these little children could have eaten all the adults. That was a pretty disturbing thought, but if they wanted to get out of this planet as fast as they could, one of them should try to find out where they were supposed to go next.

"Listen. You have your P-90 with you and the zat and the knife. If you have a problem, just use them, okay?" he finished smiling.

"Jack O'Neill, do you really believe I would be able to hurt a kid?"

"No, Sam, but you are right, we don't know what happened to the adults. So please don't eat or drink anything they offer you".

"Yeah, right, as if I would be able to eat or drink anything" was the sarcastic answer.

Jack smiled, "Love you, see you soon" he kissed her forehead.

* * *

Jack had been searching the building for two hours and was pleased with the results. He had found what they were looking for and more.

The walls of the construction the kids called Temple were full of the history of the civilization of this planet. In the middle of that story was the address they were looking, but as the history was really fascinating to Jack, he continued reading it until it finished.

Apparently, there were no adults here not because the kids had killed them, or a plague had come and killed all the adults. There were no adults because all the kids were kids in their hearts. They were all like him (smirk), with the little difference that for some reason they didn't grow up. They were all many years old. They were older than Jack, and perhaps they were as old as Selmak.

The kid, Aureliano, perhaps was as old as Selmak. Jack had been very surprised to find this, and knowing the scientist in him, a part that never appeared when he was around Spacemonkey or Carter was appearing, and he just wanted to know what was happening here. But he also was afraid that perhaps what happened to these kids could happen to them. And then a thought hit him. Sam. What was happening to her perhaps was that she was getting younger and younger. Jack unexpectedly stood up and ran to the camp.

The kids who were looking after him ran too. They didn't understand what was happening to the old man. One minute he was fine, just spending time with them, and the other he was running as if his life depended on it. They liked him. He was like one of them. The only difference was that he was just older than them.

After running for half an hour, the camp wasn't near the Temple, Jack reached the tent where he had left Sam. He entered and found her sleeping. She looked like an angel. He smile and turned. He would continue doing his research. Of course he would never tell Sam that he was doing research. He would tell her that he was playing with the kids if she ever asked. That was something natural in him, nobody would suspect, not even Carter.

* * *

When Sam woke up three hours later, she found herself alone. She was confused at the beginning but then remembered where she was and stood up to go and find Jack.

She heard kids screaming. Apparently they were playing some kind of game.

When she approached the group, she didn't see Jack anywhere, but they were clearly playing baseball. She looked around and nothing, Jack wasn't there. Then she looked at the pitcher, and Sam's heart stopped beating.

"OH MY GOD!"


	36. Chapter 35

A/N: Thanks for the reviews and I want to say something to you:

Ilovesg1: I feel the same about the knees, jajaja

SADDAMINSANE: You are right about the mirror.

LuSo: Don't worry, I love the fluff between them too, so you'll see.

pain in the mikta: the only thing I have to tell you is thank you for reviewing. 

Jen8f9: thanks for reviewing.

And all the others, here yuo have, next chapter.

* * *

**The other lost city **

Chapter XXXV

"JACK!" Sam yelled.

The pitcher looked at her and smiled. 'God, he is beautiful' Sam thought.

"Sam," Jack said and ran to her. He gave the ball to one of the kids that were watching,

"Juega por mi" (play in my place). He reached and kissed her. His tongue inmediatly seeking her mouth and the only thing Sam could do was moan and gave in. Jack was a wonderful kisser.

When the kiss finished, she looked at those beautiful brown eyes that were dark with desire.

"I missed you," he said.

"I missed you too" Sam said smiling and ran her fingers through his brown hair. "What happened to you?" she asked.

Jack looked confused, "Sam?"

"You look younger, Jack" she explained, "You look like you looked when we first met, just with longer hair."

Jack was still lost. He didn't understand. What had happened to her while she was sleeping? He was the same old man that left her at the tent 6 hours ago.

"Sam are you all right?" he didn't wait the answer. "OHH, I found the address of our next destiny."

"You did?"

"Yeah. It was really easy. It was in the middle of the writings in the Temple."

Sam smiled. She had never thought of Jack like a "geek", and that's how she was starting to see him. He was acting like Daniel would have if they had found a wall full of Ancient writings. The thought was pretty funny. Jack was showing her a part of him that she never thought he had.

"Did you find anything interesting?" she asked caressing his face. He actually looked younger.

"Well," Jack began. But as her caresses continued, he kissed her again. When he left her mouth to breathe, he continued, "I found some interesting things, but they don't matter. How are you?"

Sam smiled. He was acting like a teenager. "I'm fine. Whatever happened to me has gone away. Now, Jack, have you looked at yourself in a mirror?"

Jack looked at her puzzle, "Why would I carry a mirror with me?"

Sam giggled. He was a kid. "I don't know, perhaps you like looking at yourself, admire how beautiful you are?"

Jack rolled his eyes, "I'm not beautiful. You are."

"No, Jack, you are."

"No, you are."

"Jaaack, stop, please."

"What? Is something wrong with you?" he asked concerned.

Sam smiled, "No, just stop, okay? Why don't we return to the camp, and I will show you something?"

Jack smiled, his mind having very dirty thoughts. Sam saw his face, "Not that, flyboy."

"Why?"

"Because there are kids everywhere, and we have work to do."

"You know, we can't spend all the time working."

Sam smiled, "You are such a guy, O'Neill."

Jack grinned at her, "Yes, I am," he said happily.

When they arrived back at the camp, Sam went to fetch her things, took out a mirror and gave it to him.

"Wow!" Jack said looking at his reflection. "I look a bit younger."

Sam smiled. "You look great, not that I had something to complain about, but you really look great, as great as you looked the day we first met," she said and kissed his cheek.

"Wow," he said again. "I guess my worries that you would become younger were wrong."

"You thought I was going to become younger?"

"Well, you were the one feeling bad, not me."

Sam smiled, "So, you know where we are supposed to go next?", she said changing the course of conversation as she knew that Jack didn't like the compliments. She was about to tell him that everytime he got worried about her he was very cute.

"Yeah," Jack said thoughtfully. "You wanna leave the planet?"

Sam smiled shyly, "I, yes, Jack. I don't feel comfortable here."

"Okay," Jack said smiling to her. He was so enamored by her that he would go with her to Hell if she asked. Wait, he had gone to Hell with her. Jack smirked. "Let's tell the kids we are leaving."

* * *

"UH, Jacob, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Daniel, what's wrong?"

"I" Daniel began thoughfully, "Jack is my friend you know."

Jacob smiled, "I know that, Daniel"

"And if you have a friend you would tell them the things you know they want to know, don't you?"

Jacob looked at him

- Are you following what he is saying, Selmak?

- I think Dr. Jackson doesn't think Jack considers him a friend.

- But everybody knows that Daniel and Teal'c are Jack's best friends.

- That's right, but I don't think that's what he is thinking. I believe he is wondering something to do with Jack.

- You enjoy too much the fact that he asked you to call him Jack.

- You must admit that Jack is a very handsome man, Jacob, and that Samantha has very good taste.

- OH GOD!

"Jacob?" Daniel was conceren as Jacob was grabbing his head as if he had the worst migrane ever.

"Sorry, Daniel" Jake said after a while, "Selmak was saying something that I didn't like."

Daniel smiled, "Okay, so what do you think?"

"About?"

Daniel looked at him and said, "Did you know that Jack has three sisters and that his parents are alive?"

Jacob looked at him for a moment, "You're kidding me, aren't you?"

Daniel smiled, at least he wasn't the only one that didn't know.

"Of course, Daniel" Jacob said, "I read it in his file."

Daniel looked at him again, hurt. He was the only one that didn't know that Jack had a family. He was supposed to be his friend, one of his best friends.

- I think he is hurt Jacob.

- About?

- I believe he didn't know about Jack's family.

- So? I wouldn't know either if I hadn't looked at his file.

- I know, but he doesn't know that.

- Okay.

"Daniel," Jacob said, "it's all in Jack's file"

Daniel looked at him, "He didn't tell you?"

"Why would he?"

Daniel smiled, "Okay, thanks, Jacob" he said and left the older man alone.

- Dr. Jackson is very strange.

- Indeed.

* * *

The kids weren't happy, but Jack explained to them that Sam wasn't feeling well. So they had to return to their home. It was a white lie that wouldn't hurt them. So they said Adios (Goodbye) to everyone and left that planet. Once they were on their way to their new destination, Sam told Jack that she realized now that it wasn't a good idea to send a team with young members to that planet because they could return like kids. But Jack told her that the only ones that would change would be the ones that have a kid inside of them, and none of the researches were like him.

"And you are saying that I am not a kid?" Sam asked sadly.

Jack looked at her and smiled, "You are a kid, Sam, but you are an adult too. I, in the other hand, don't behave like I should, seeing my age."

Sam looked at him puzzled, and Jack's grin grew even more. He loved explaining some things to her.

"You know that I am a kid. I behave like a kid a lot of hours in a day," he said and Sam nodded, "Well, there's a cliché that says that a man turns the age of the woman he is in love with, and I am in love with you, Sam. I've been for a long time. So that's why I look younger now. The planet has given you the proof that I am really in love with you."

Sam looked at him and smiled. Then she kissed him fully in the mouth. "Lets go, sir. We have work to do."

* * *

Sorry about the lengh but I have to study sometimes and this is a period of exams so I MUST study as I repeat to myself. 


	37. Chapter 36

A/N: Thanks Alicia!

**

* * *

****The other lost city**

Chapter XXXVI

"Where do you think they are?" Jonas asked while they were in the commissary.

"I don't know," Daniel sighed. "You would think I would have some kind of memory from my days as an Ascended, but, no, I've got nothing."

"There is no way to know where they could be," Jacob said. "The possibilities are immeasurable."

"If something bad happens, I'm sure we'll know," Daniel said to Jonas.

"Don't you have some work to do while we are waiting for some news?" Jacob said.

Daniel looked at him, "You want to help me translate some of my work?"

"That way everybody will have something to do," Jacob explained.

"Indeed."

* * *

"So, do you think we have to walk a lot more?" Jack asked. He was tired. The sun was killing him.

"The energy readings are far, far away."

"In a far, far away galaxy?" he asked grinning.

"No, 30 clicks."

"Thirty? How far have we walked?"

"We've been walking for 6 hours now."

"I think we should stop."

Sam looked at him. She was getting used to seeing him with brown hair, but it was going to take a while. She loved his silver locks. He looked really good that way. He was a General after all. He should have grey hair. But on the other hand, his brown hair made him look younger, and he looked the way he used to look. She had very nice fantacies with him with brown hair.

"Are you tired?"

"No" Jack answered quickly. He didn't want her to think that he was getting out of shape.

"I'm thinking of you. You look tired."

Sam smiled and kissed his cheek, "I love you, Jack O'Neill."

Jack smiled, "So can we rest a bit?"

"Yeah, yeah, let's camp and spend the night here."

"Okay," he agreed happily.

* * *

When Jack woke up after sleeping for a long time, he looked around for Sam and didn't find her. Then he felt the noise of someone that wasn't feeling well.

"Sam?" he asked as he climbed out of the tent. "Are you ok?"

"I think something is wrong with me," she said.

Jack looked at her concerned, "Perhaps we should return home, and after we are sure you are okay, we can come back."

"No. I think it will go away soon," Sam said. She didn't want to go back to Earth. That would mean that this kind of "honeymoon" that they were having would finish, and she didn't want that. "Don't worry, Jack. I'm fine."

"This is the second time this has happened."

"I know," Sam said reluctantly. "It's strange, but I'm sure it will go away."

Jack looked at her for a moment and realized that perhaps if they started moving, she would start feeling better. "Okay, I will break down the camp so we can continue our journey."

Sam smiled weakly at him. She was really feeling bad but didn't want to show weakness in front of her CO. They share a bed now but still she didn't want him to think she was weak.

* * *

Two hours later.

"Sir," Sam said, "can we rest a bit?"

Jack looked at her. She looked tired, and that was something that worried him. She never asked for time to rest.

"Yeah, sure, Carter. Ten minutes," he said and sat down on the ground.

The planet was a desserted plain. There was nothing of nothing. "How much?" he asked.

"20 clicks" Sam answered. She was awfully tired. She had never felt this way, not even when she was in the Academy training. "Do you have some cookies with you?" she asked hopefully.

Jack looked at her and then started looking in his pack. After a few minutes he gave her two chocolate cookies. Sam smiled and devoured them.

"Are you hungry?"

She looked at him and smiled shyly, "Not really, just wanted some cookies."

"Okay," Jack said and stood up, "ready to continue?"

"Yes, SIR," she replied standing up and started to walk.

* * *

They had to stop three other times because Sam was getting tired and more tired. Something was wrong with her, and Sam knew it, and Jack knew it.

Finally they saw the city.

"There," Jack said pointing to where the city was located.

"If we hurry, we can reach it before the night falls," Sam said to him

"Let's go then."

* * *

They were near now. They were able to see the whole city. It was magnificent. The buildings were something they had never seen. It was a city taken out of the Ancient stories. Something that only those cultures that still told and knew the old, old tales. Perhaps Daniel could say something about the construction but right now they didn't care. They were finally seeing the lost city. They had reached the end of their road. They were there. They would be returning home after what ever was going to happen to them in the city. They were going to be able to return home after the final test they knew they were going to have.

Jack was trying not to run to the city, but his legs seemed to have their own mind. Sam was in the same condition. They were excited. They knew this was very important. And what a surprise they got when suddenly they found themselves hitting an invisible wall.


	38. Chapter 37

A/N: I forgot to tell you last chapter thank you for reviewing. I really appreciate all the reviews you send me son THANK YOU.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXXVII

"WHAT THE HELL" Jack yelled.

"I think there's a forcefield, sir."

"Really?" Jack asked. Then his eyes softened at the sight of Carter on the floor. She was still lying there. She hadn't stood up yet.

"Carter," he said offering her his hand. Sam took it happily. She wasn't feeling at all well. Something was happening to her, and she didn't know what it was. It was one of those rare moments when she was clueless about something.

"I will study the problem, sir," Sam said and started taking out all her instruments.

* * *

Two hours later, Sam didn't know anything that could be useful. 

"I can detect the enery field, but I don't have a clue to how penetrate it, sir," Carter said. She looked sad and tired.

"We should eat something," Jack said, taking out some of the MREs.

Sam looked at him and then at the "food" and realized that she was hungry. So she didn't protest.

"This is a nice planet," Jack said.

Sam looked at him, shocked. The planet was like one the Tok'ra would choose. "You like it? Really?"

"Yeah," Jack said while eating, "I have a nice feeling. In some ways I feel like this is home," he said thoughtfully. "Of course, I know it isn't, but it feels like home."

She looked at him for a moment, "Perhaps you have some Ancient memory about this place."

"Maybe, but I can tell you that this is home, Sam," Jack said looking towards the city, "This is the place we were looking for."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I have this feeling that tells me that this is our goal."

"Okay," she said looking at the city too. "We should start to think how we are going to get inside."

* * *

Two hours later, Sam was pissed. She hadn't found a way to pass through the field. She was angry and tired and wanted to use some sort of facility, but there was no place to go. Jack looked at her. 

"Why don't you rest a bit, Sam?"

"It's getting late, Sir, and tell me the truth, do you really want to spend the night here when I am sure there is a way to get into the city?"

* * *

"General, the President is at the phone, sir," the sergeant told Hammond. 

"Thank you, Morrison" George answered and stood up from the table at the commisary. He was having dinner with Jacob, Jumper, Garibaldi and Ford.

"Do you want us to go with you, George?" Jacob asked.

"No, Jacob it's okay. If he wants to talk to you, I'll call you, the four of you," he said and left.

"Jacob," Jumper asked, "do you really like the idea of having Jack as your son in law?"

Jacob smiled, and lowered his head.

"**Jacob is still considering if Jack is the better choice for Samantha"** Selmak said. The three Joint Chiefs jumped a little at the surprised of hearing the Tok'ra, **"but I believe that there is no better pair that those two. I can tell you that the relationship they have is very similar to the relation a human has with a Tok'ra. As Teal'c said, they are one."**

"Jack and Colonel Carter?"

**"Yes. I had a lot of years to study the situation, and I have all the knowledge Jacob has about the regulations the Air Force has. And I can tell you that Samantha and Jack are in love, but they love their jobs too."**

"So you are telling us that they would have continued working like they were if this hadn't happened?" Garibaldi asked shocked. He knew both officers were very responsible but never in his mind would he choose the Navy before his wife and family.

**"Jacob says that he is certain that Samantha would have never married Shannahan."**

- You know I can talk, Selmak.

- I like talking to the Joint Chiefs, Jacob. You think they are important. They are the most important military minds in your country. They should be wise.

- They are humans Selmak. They are men, just like me.

- They are part of the Joint Chiefs, Jacob. They are not just simple men.

- Okay, Sel, as you wish.

"Why?" Ford asked. He was sure that there were a lot of people that thought the same, but he wanted to hear why they were certain about that.

**"Samantha is a very smart woman. She would have realized at some point that Shannahan wasn't the right choice. He is just a human. She needs more than that."**

"Really?"

**"Yes. She had been choosen by very important and powerfull men from off-world. A simple human isn't a good choice for her. She is very important. She is very precious. Earth needs her as we do and as other races. A man like Shannahan isn't meant for her"**

"And General O'Neill is?"

**"General O'Neill is very valuable. His knowledge is very important. He is the only human with the vast experience that he has. He is the only human or Tok'ra that is considered a friend of the Asgards. He is the only human that has survived the implantation of the knowledge of the Ancient's twice. As a result of all this, he is not entirely human. He is the prefect match for Samantha."**

The members of the Joint Chiefs looked at Jacob/Selmak. They had never thought of Jack that way.

"We know that Jack is very intelligent. He has a similar IQ that Colonel Carter and Dr. Jackson has, but he never shows that, and we are not the ones to ask him to demonstrate his potential because we know what he is able to do. We never thought that you would know."

Selmak smiled, **"Jack is as important off-world as Samantha is. He might not be diplomatic, but many of the alliances that Earth has are the result of his presence in the meetings. And his head has a very high price between the Goa'ulds that still remain in power. In some ways, he is more valuable than Samantha."**

"Why?"

"**He knows some of the things Samantha and Dr. Jackson know. He has Teal'c's experience, and he knows as much as Jacob about Earth. He is the perfect mix between the three members of SG-1."**

The two Generals and the Admiral looked at the Tok'ra and realized that they couldn't lose Jack O'Neill, ever. And they also realized that they couldn't lose Colonel Carter. They would have to find a way to keep them at the SGC no matter what.

"General Jumper, Ford, Admiral Garibaldi and Jacob Carter, report to the briefing room."

* * *

Sam was very, very frustated. This couldn't be happening to her. There was no way this could be happening to her. 

She had been working in this problem for six hours now, and nothing. Not a clue. Nada de nada. She was tired, hungry and in a very bad mood.

Jack woke up and looked at her. Carter was sitting in the sand looking at the city.

"Carter?" he asked.

She looked at him. He had fallen asleep two hours ago, "How was your sleep, sir?"

"Oh, sorry, Carter, I didn't realize that I had fallen asleep."

Sam smiled at his face, he looked very cute. His eyes were still sleepy and his hair a mess.

"It's fine, sir, you haven't missed anything," she said frustated.

He looked at her and smiled, "Have you tried with the balls?"

* * *

A/N: I know, EVIL author, but waht can I say? I love finishing chapters like this. 


	39. Chapter 38

Thanks for the reviews and thanks Alicia!

**

* * *

****The other lost city**

Chapter XXXVIII

Sam looked at him. Then looked at her bag. Then looked at him again.

"The spheres?"

"Yeah." Jack said standing up and going to were he knew the balls where. "You know Danny and Jonas said they were some kind of key," Jack said taking them out.

"Yes, they did. Do you think we could pass the field by using them?"

"We can try," Jack said smiling shyly.

"Gimme one."

Jack smiled at her expression and threw her one of the balls. Instantly the spheres started glowing and something knocked them out.

* * *

When they woke up again, they weren't where they had been before. They were in some sort of room. It had huge windows, and there was a lot of light. The room was empty.

"Where do you think we are?"

"Don't know, sir, perhaps we could go through that door and see."

"Smartass," Jack said tenderly.

She looked at him and smiled. She was so much in love with Jack O'Neill that she couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her face every time she thought about him, saw him, heard him, smelled him; actually she couldn't stop smiling.

Jack walked to the door and prepared himself for the battle he supposed was going to happen.

"Sir," Sam said and he stopped.

"Carter?"

"Sir," she repeated and fainted.

"CARTER," Jack yelled and ran to her. "What's wrong with you?" he asked to her very concerned. "Sam," he called her.

"Jack," a voice said.

He immediately lowered Carter, stood up and turned. At the door was a woman. A young woman, very beautiful. She had brown hair and blue eyes. And she looked like a human, but he knew she wasn't a human, she was an Ancient. "Abeni" the name came to him as if he had known her for all his life.

The Ancient girl smiled, "They told me you have our knowledge buried deep inside you, and it's fantastic. You're the first human that has that knowledge. Of course, you're not entirely human anymore. Walk with me"

Jack looked at her for a moment then looked at Carter, "No. I won't leave Carter alone."

Abeni smiled, "Nothing will happen to your beloved, Jack. She is safe here, but she needs to rest. She has done too many things in the last days, and in her condition, that's not wise."

Jack looked at her puzzled. "Later, Jack, later. Now walk with me. We have a lot to talk about."

They got out of that room, and Jack finally got a look at the city. They were now inside and it was magnificent. The entire city seemed to be glowing.

"It's your presence here that had made the city alive again."

"My presence?"

"Your's and Sam's, Jack" Abeni said smiling. "We have waited for along time your coming. Some of the others thought it would never happen when we realized Samantha was going to bond to another human, but I had faith in you. Your love is something that has no limits, Jack."

"Well," Jack said, "if I have to be honest with you, I thought I had lost her," Jack said looking at the buildings.

Abeni smiled, "Selmak and Jacob Carter are wiser than you, Jack, and the fact that they received some encouragment helps a bit."

Jack looked at her confuse, "Pardon me?"

Abeni smiled again, "Let's say that one of us visited them in their dreams and told them all they needed to know to find the keys."

"WOW," Jack said amazed, "you did all this work for us?"

"For us, Jack, for us," Abeni said looking at the City, "Look at it. It's beautiful. You know what is locked in that building?" she asked Jack.

The General looked at the building she was pointing at. It was a round structure with what seemed to be a revolving ceiling.

"You held what we call a telescope. There you held all the knowledge you have about the stars, planets and all the other astronomy things," Jack said, his vocabulary was becoming shorter and shorter as he realized that he knew this city. As he realized that this city was part of him. "That's the chemistry lab, and the physics lab, and the math lab." Jack began pointing to the different buildings.

"That's one of the 50 libraries we, you have. And that's the gym, not a gym for athletes,. They worked out somewhere else. That was a gym for the minds, and that's the commisary and --"

"Yes, Jack. You know this place, and you can say it's your place too. Why don't we go and look if there's something to eat?"

Jack looked at Abeni and smiled, he liked this Ancient, "I would love that."

* * *

When Sam woke up, she didn't know where she was. She realized she wasn't on the floor. There was a bed under her and a warm body behind her. She pressed agaist that beautiful body that she recognized as Jack O'Neill as it smelled like her General.

'My General' Sam thought and smiled, 'my General' she repeated. She pressed again and felt him. He had a great body, and it was all for her. It was hers.

Jack felt her wake up and press against his body. He knew he was aroused. Just the thought of having Samantha Carter in his arms and his bed was a powerful turn on. He gently kissed her neck. And then kissed it again. He pressed her against him more, and his hand cupped her breast while kissing her neck, jaw. He was looking for her mouth, and Sam gave him that.

She moved her head towards him and kissed him. Her tongue getting into his mouth the moment he opened it, and the only thing Jack could do was moan. He squeezed her breast and thrust against her back. This time Sam groaned. She loved the feel of him losing his control because of her. Jack suddenly moved her so her back was on the bed, and he climbed on top of her. He looked at her and smiled, his brown eyes showing her all the passion and love and desire he had for her.

He then leaned in to kiss her while his hands started exploring her body. Sam's hands didn't stay quiet either, one went straight to his ass to press him more against her and the other started looking for the fly of his pants.

* * *

"George, you wanted to see us?" Jumper asked

"Yes, sir," George Hammond said to his Supperior Officer, "I just hung up with the President, and what he told me was a little shocking."

"What, George?" Jacob asked.

Hammond looked at the men present in his, not, Jack's office. "Perhaps we should go to the briefing. It will be more comfortable."

The Generals and Admiral nodded. They sat around the large table and looked at George.

The bald man looked at them, sighed, and started talking, "The President told me he had a dream about Jack and Colonel Carter."

Jacob was going to interrupt, but Hammond stopped him, "Later, Jacob. He said that a young woman appeared in his dream and told him that our two officers were going to return home soon and that they," George stopped, "well, the young woman told the President that we should start preparing a wedding, because Jack and Sam were going to get married as soon as they arrived home."

"Why?" Garibaldi asked.

"Because apparently they already got married in Ancient way," George explained, "The President is coming here to talk to Dr. Jackson about what that words mean. After all Daniel is the only expert in this field on Earth."

Jacob nodded, Selmak had a little suspicion in what this meant, and he was going to kill Jack O'Neill the instant he saw him.

- No, we are not Jacob.

- Why?

- Because you gave him permission to have a relationship with Samantha.

- I did, but I didn't say that he could do what he did, if our suspicions are correct.

- Samantha is a grown up woman Jacob.

"The young woman also said to the President that there would be some Ancients ancients with them too, and that Jack and Sam were going to be protect by the Ancients from now on."

"What does that mean?"

"Does this mean that we will be in the presence of Ancients dignataries?"

"When is the President coming?"

"Tomorrow," Hammond said.


	40. Chapter 39

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. Sorry for the delay but I am studying, I have exams an the 21, 22 and the 23, so you can imagen how I am.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter XXXIX

When Sam woke up again, she was very, very happy. Her body hurt a bit, but it was worth it. What that man could do with those beautiful hands was amazing! She smiled. She was happy, not content, but happy. Samantha Carter was the happiest woman in the entire universe at the moment, and she got even happier when Jack started sucking one of her nipples. The man never got tired!

"I love your breasts," he muttered. "They are just perfect."

Sam stroked his short brown hair lovingly and moaned when he started sucking harder. It seemed that another round was starting.

* * *

Cheyenne Mountain had always been the home of NORAD, and for some years now, it held the most important and secret program Earth had, the Stargate Project. This was the second time the President of the United States was going to visit the base and all the levels, from the ones that where near the surfice, to the ones that were buried inside the mountain were working like mad. They were trying to get things in order as much as they could and to make the base look as normal as possible. 

Of course that was easy for the upper levels, but for the SGC, what was considered normal wasn't what outsiders considered normal. The scientists were trying to prepare their labs in case the President wanted to look at them. The marines were organizing the defenses of the Gateroom in case someone from off-world wanted to "come and visit."

Daniel, Jonas and Teal'c were eating some snacks quietly in Daniel's lab while they continued analyzing the text that was on the board. They had translated it the first time, but after Jack and Sam began their mission alone, the text had change, and now they were working on it.

"What do you think the President wants?" Daniel asked.

"I don't know, but I am happy that I will meet your President for the first time."

"He is just a man."

"He is a leader, Daniel Jackson."

Daniel looked at his two aliens friends and just smiled.

"SG-1 to the briefing room."

"That's our call."

When the three men arrived, they saw only Jacob and General Hammond in the room.

"The Joint Chiefs are at the surface. They will bring the President here," Jacob said.

"They've been inside the mountain since they arrived. So they need a bit of light."

Daniel smiled. "They are not used to this."

"No one is used to it like you, Dr. Jackson."

"Sir," an airman said, "Air Force One has arrived. General Jumper said that they will be

arriving in half an hour."

"Thank you."

"So, let's get prepared for the show," Jacob said clapping his hands together.

* * *

"Mr. President, Sir," General Ford said 

"General, It's good to see you, all of you," he said looking at the other men present. "Shall we?" he asked.

"Of course, sir. There's a car waiting for us."

"Reporters?"

"There are some."

* * *

"I am at Cheyenne Mountain were the President will be arriving in minutes. We don't exactly know why is he coming to visit NORAD. This trip wasn't on his calendar, but we are guessing that it may have something to do with the rumors that exist around General O'Neill and Lt. Colonel Carter." 

"_Have you been able to talk to any of them, Gregory?"_

"No, Stan. All we know is they are here at the mountain; but when we asked the SF to talk to them, they told us that the General and the Colonel were not available."

"_Were you able to confirm the rumor about their possible relationship?"_

"We tried talking to the Colonel's fiancé, but he wasn't at home, and then we tried looking for someone who could give us some information about the General, but his ex-wife wasn't at her house either. The friends we've talk to said that the two of them are incapable of breaking the regulations. They said that the two officers live for the Air Force. So we couldn't confirm if the rumors are correct, but you know that rumors exist for some reason."

"_Thank you, Gregory. We'll be contacting you later."_

* * *

"Do we have any news about Jack?" Henry Hayes asked his officers. 

"Nothing, sir. Only what you told George."

"You think I'm losing my mind?"

The three men looked at each other; "To be honest, sir, in the last days we've seen a lot of

strange things. So I believe that if you're losing your mind, everyone at the SGC is crazy," Admiral Garibaldi said.

"Above all, we've been reading a lot too, and the things that happened on that base are incredible."

"Their lives seem to be based off of a sci–fi movie."

"I know. I've spoken to George about a lot of the things SG-1 has encountered through the years, and this has had no precedence as the situation we have now."

"Yeah. That's a bad thing, but I think good things will be achieved."

The members of the Joint Chiefs nodded.

* * *

Daniel was looking at the Satargate when the President arrived. 

"Mr. President, sir," General Hammond said.

"George," Henry said shaking his hand. "Jacob, old friend, it's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, Henry."

The President looked at him, "Henry?"

The Tok'ra smiled and lowered his/her head, **"I am responsible for Jacob's words, President Hayes. I don't understand why he has to talk to you that way if you are old friends."**

Henry Hayes laughed, "I know. I know. Selmak, is it?"

**"Yes."**

"Well, I'm Jacob's Commander in Chief."

**"Jacob is retired, and he is a Tok'ra now."**

"Yes, but I'm still the leader of the United States, and he is still considered one of us. So I'm still his superior."

**"The Tok'ra don't have any superiors. I don't have any. I'm the wisest and the oldest of the Tok'ra."**

At that words the President looked at Hammond who nodded and then at Daniel who nodded too. "In that case, you can call me Henry, Selmak."

The Tok'ra smiled.

"Why don't we sit?" Hammond said.

A few minutes later.

"Dr. Jackson," President Hayes began, "I know that you are Earth's expert on the Ancients."

"I am."

"Great, because I believe an Ancient visited me last night."

"Why do you say it's an Ancient sir?" Daniel asked.

"Because she spoke about Jack and Sam, and said something about the Ancients, doctor."

"But the Ancients don't interfere in our life. That's against the rules," Jonas said.

"That's right, Jonas, but Oma helped Daniel to ascend," Jacob said.

"Yeah, but she was Oma, Jacob. She saw the potential in me," Daniel said looking at the

Stargate again. "The Ancients don't mess with our problems, sir, but the Ancients have been acting strangely these last days. They've been helping Jack and Sam. So perhaps an Ancient did visit you."

"That's a start. Now, I want to know what you know aboutthe Ancient ceremony of

Marriage."

Daniel looked at him confused, "Pardon me?"

"How do they get married, Daniel?" Jacob said exasperated.

"Oh."


	41. Chapter 40

A/N: I am tire of using roman numbers so I will use normal numbers. I have to think a lot everytime I have to right the chapters number. Thanks Alicia and thanks for the reviews.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter 40

"Oh," Daniel said again, "Well, I don't really know, but I think we can find out what the Ancient meant."

Jacob looked at the archeologist. "Daniel, if you think I will hurt Jack if you say what I know you have to tell Henry, you are right."

Daniel looked at him, "Jacob, you have to remember that Sam loves Jack, and that he would never do anything to hurt her, and remember that Sam is a grown up, and that she has had boyfriends before."

"That's not something I want to think about, Daniel," Jacob said raising his voice. "She is my little girl."

Hammond smiled and interrupted the conversation that was taking place in front of him,

"Dr Jackson, tell the President what you think."

"Yes, sir," Daniel said looking at Jacob and then the President, "but Mr. President, perhaps you could tell us what happened in your dream first, to know exactly what the Ancient might have meant," Daniel explained.

"Of course, Doctor," Henry Hayes said looking at Jacob first, then at Daniel, "I was here, at the SGC, in the Gate Room. And a young woman was in the room too. There was no one else. We were alone," Henry said standing up and looking trough the window at the Stargate.

"She said that she came to my dream. She said she was in my dream to tell me that Jack and Sam were going to be returning soon to Earth."

"How did she look?" Jacob asked.

"She was a young girl, Jacob."

"Did she have red hair?"

"No, she had brown hair. Why?"

"Selmak and I were visited by an Ancient too."

"You were?" Daniel asked shocked.

"Why didn't you tell us, Jacob?" Hammond asked.

"Why would we tell you?" Jacob said looking at George. "This was between Selmak and me, and if we would have told you in the presence of the Tok'ra, they would had thought we were going crazy."

"What did the Ancient tell you, Jacob?" Jonas asked.

"That we have to bring the spheres to Jack and Sam, of course," Jacob said.

"Pardon me?" Garibaldi said.

"This is Sam's and Jack's destiny" Jacob said, "The spheres were meant for them. That's why we brought them to the SGC."

"Okay," Daniel said, "Sir, why don't you continue?"

"Yes, Doctor," Hayes said looking at Jacob. "Well, she told me that they would be arriving soon. She didn't say how soon, but she said that some Ancients would be coming with them, and she said that they got married by the Ancient's way. Do you know what that means?"

"Well," Daniel began slowly, "I have an idea of what that means."

"Doctor, please."

"First, I want to know what were the orders Sam and Jack received from you, sir?"

"Why?" Ford asked.

"Because it's necessary."

"Daniel," George said, "Jack and Sam received the green light to do whatever they thought was necessary to find the city."

"Okay," Daniel said. "So you want to know what that Ancient meant?"

"Yes, Doctor Jackson," the President said. He was losing his patience.

Daniel stood up and began his lecture, "The Ancients lived here a long, long time ago. They are the ones that built the Stargates and a lot of other things. They left Earth because of a plague that attacked them, and the ones that survived ascended. Of what we know about their ways of life, they were monogamous. They committed to one person for all their lives. They didn't marry the same way we do. When we get married, we sign some papers for our legal system. They didn't do it the same way." Daniel stopped to drink some water. "There are a lot of cultures off-world that get married in the same manner the Ancients did, and we do it the same way."

The men in the room looked puzzled. They all thought Daniel was contradicting himself.

"Explain, please."

"Before we sign any form, we choose each other. From experience, we know that deep inside us we are like animals; we choose our mates in the same way the animals do. We don't do it consciously, but when we say, 'I want to have babies with you,' what we really mean is that we know that the children we can produce with our mate will be the strongest ones. Are you following me?"

"I think I am. Please continue." President Hayes said.

"Now, we know that Sam made that clear eight years ago when she picked Jack to mate with. She could have choosen anyone, but her choice was very clear. Then Jack attacked me when I talked to him about Sam. I knew they were ill. They were infected, but what I want you to see is that by the Ancient ways, they have been married for eight years now."

"Dr. Jackson?"

"Listen to me," Daniel said trying to explain better. "The Ancients get married in their hearts, and Jack and Sam had choosen each other eight years ago. Yes," he continued before being interrupted again, "I know it sounds crazy, and I know that Sam and Jack will kill me when they find out what I am saying, but unconsciously they chose each other. Unconsciously they committed to each other eight years ago. I know Sam was getting married by our laws, but she wasn't commited to Pete the way she was to Jack.

Why do you think she took two weeks to answer Pete's proposal? Because deep inside her she knew she was Jack's. And why do you think Jack went to look for Jacob? Because the only thing he wants is to see Sam happy. That's love, Mr. President, real love, the one that makes you do whatever the person you love wants no matter if you get hurt in the proccess. The one that shows you that you would die for the other.

Jack and Sam had had those feelings for eight years, they never did anything with them, but we," he pointed to Teal'c, Jonas, Jacob, Hammond and himself, "and all the base had seen it. And that's the way the Anceints get married. They marry in their hearts, and of course they seal that marriage with the conception of a new life."

There was silence in the room for some moments.

"What you are saying is that Colonel Carter is pregnant?"

Daniel looked at Jacob, "Almost certainly."


	42. Chapter 41

A/N: Sorry for the delay, I have been busy. Thanks for all teh reviews and tanks Alicia .

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter 41

There was a moment of silence in the briefing room.

"So we have to arrange everything so there is no problem with their relationship when they come back," Jonas said.

"That has already been take care of," Hammond said.

"General Hammond?" Teal'c asked.

"We have talked to JAG and asked them of the legal repercussions a modification of the Frat. Regs would have and decided that it was worth it. Jack and Colonel Carter aren't breaking any rule since one month ago," Ford said.

"But -- " Daniel began.

"Don't," Jacob said. "That's all we have to know, Daniel. Thank you, Henry" he said to President Hayes.

"You don't have to thank me for anything. They deserve it. Now, Doctor, the Ancient also said that there were some Ancients coming with them. My question is: How do we treat them? As if they were any Earth's ambassadors or as if they were Tok'ra representatives like Selmak?"

"That's a good question, sir, and I actually don't know."

"But Ancients have come to the base before," Garibaldi said.

"Yes, sir, but they didn't stay, and from what I can interpret from the President's words, this Ancient will be staying on Earth," Daniel said. "We don't know what they need or what they want. We don't know anything about them. In fact, I don't know any Ancient that has a corporeal body. They are energy, sir."

Nobody spoke after Daniel's words. They were all thinking how they were going to deal with the Ancient ambassador.

"Excuse me, sir," Jonas interrupted everyone's thinking. "What are we going to do in regards to the General and Sam?"

"What do you mean? I thought that it was pretty clear that there was no problem in their relationship."

"I know, sir, but if Sam is pregnant, how are we going to explain that, and if I remember correctly, the Ancient said to you that we should have the wedding here."

"Yeah."

"I don't think Sam would like for us to arrange her wedding."

"Colonel Carter was very reluctant to participate in the planning of her wedding

with Pete Shanahan."

"Yes. But that was Pete you're talking about, Teal'c. With Jack, things are very different."

"I think you are correct, Daniel," Hammond said, "but Jonas is right. We don't know when they are coming back."

"They are coming soon," Admiral Garibaldi said.

Daniel smiled at his words, "What do you think is soon for the Ancients?"

Everyone present looked at him.

"We are talking about a race that has been around for millions of years. Time passes in a different way to them. We are mortals. Our lives are finite. They, on the other hand, are immortals. As I said before, they are energy. They live forever. So to them, soon could mean anything."

"You are saying that they could be arriving in the next hour or ten years from today?"

"I think they will be here soon, our conception of "soon," but that we still have time. We don't even know if Sam is pregnant now, or if she is, how pregnant she will be when they come home."

"You are telling us that we don't know anything," Jumper said.

"That's right," Jacob said. "John this is normal for us. We never know what will happen next, what will happen when we go through the Stargate. It's what makes our job so great."

"The adrenalin," Hammond added, "that's why Air Force officers are the correct people for this assignment. We are all addicted to action, in a good way."

* * *

"This place is magnificent," Sam said looking at all the books in the library, "Daniel will have a feast!"

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing," Jack said looking around with a stupid smile on his face.

"Oh, sorry. I forget that you can speak all of these languages too, Jack" Sam said apologizing.

Jack looked at her and leaned to kiss her lightly, "Don't. You can forget about it. I never show you what I knew. So there's no problem."

"Speaking of that," Sam said hugging him, Jack was very pleased to put his arms around her waist, "why didn't you tell us?"

The brown-haired General looked at her and smiled shyly, "Why would I, Sam? You are much more intelligent than me."

"That's not true. You're the smartest person I know."

"Really?" Jack said smiling, "Or you are just telling me this so I'll tell you all you want to know?"

Sam looked at him harmlessly, "Me?"

"Yeah, you, Carter."

"What makes you think that?" she said and not waiting for an answer she leaned and kissed him fully on the mouth. Jack happily opened his mouth to greet Sam's tongue. He was addicted to her. He moaned in her mouth when one of her hands cupped him through his pants.

"We can't do that here, Sam," he said breathlessly.

"Why?" Sam responded while kissing his neck.

"It's a public place."

"There's no one in this city Jack. We are alone."

"The Ancients can see us."

"The Ancients can see us anywhere, love," she said and kissed him again, and Jack had to give in. He was just a man after all.

* * *

"Sam," Jack said lying in their bed sometime later.

"Yeah," a very content Carter answered.

"We have to go back to Earth."

"I know, but I don't want to leave."

"Me either," Jack said kissing her head, "I have something to tell you."

"What?"

"We are pregnant," Jack said slowly.

"I know," Sam answered surprising Jack. "I'm a woman, Jack. I know when there's something different in my body, and don't forget I'm a scientist," she added.

"I love you," Jack said and rolled them. He was now on top of her looking at her beautiful face, "Will you marry me?"

Sam's smile blinded him, "Yes, Jack, I will," she said and kissed him.

* * *

Several days later.

"I talked to Cassie this morning," Daniel said to Teal'c, Jonas, Jacob, Jumper, Garibaldi and Ford when he sat down at SG-1's table at the commissary, "Apparently Jack's sister called again and Sara too."

"And?"

"Well, she told them that Jack was on a mission," Daniel said.

"Did they buy it?"

"Miracles yes, but Sara didn't. She said that she knew that Generals didn't go on missions

but that she wouldn't say anything to anyone. We have to tell Jack not to worry about what she would or would not say."

"She is an Air Force officer's wife. She knows that what we do here is very important," Jumper said.

"Yeah, well," Daniel continued, "Jack is a special ops officer. She knows that he can't talk about his job. That's classified. That was one of the problems in their marriage."

"This is not going to happen to O'Neill again," Teal'c said, "Colonel Carter knows him and his work, and they have been in a lot of situations together. They know each other."

"Yes, they do," Jacob said.

"Unscheduled off-world activation."

They all ran to the control room.

"Who is it?"

"I don't know, sir, but I can't close the iris," the Sergeant said.

"They are coming home," Daniel exclaimed.


	43. Chapter 42

A/N: It's time you know the truth, I am tire of this story so I will end it next chapter but I will continue the story in another one that I have to begin to write. I know where I want to go but I can't find the way to wirte all of it. 

THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS and thanks Alicia for Beta-ising (?) the story.

* * *

**The other lost city**

Chapter 42

The wormhole engaged and the Marines at the gate-room prepared for the incoming travelers. Nothing came in at first. Then a young woman appeared. Daniel recognized her. He knew her, or at least he knew she was an Ancient.

"Lower your weapons," he ordered. The marines looked at the General who nodded.

As they were lowering their weapons, two new figures came through the Gate. All the people around immediatly recognized them.

"Abeni," Jack said, "I told you we should have send the code."

"But that's not necessary, Jack," the Ancient said looking around. "They are primitive."

Sam laughed, "Well, yes, we are primitives."

"Sam, you are not primitive. They are," Abeni said waving around.

"But we are part of them," Sam retorted.

"No, Sam. You are part of us," Abeni corrected her, and Sam was speechless.

Jack smiled. In the last few days, he had seen his Colonel's mouth-open, without words, and he loved it. He had seen her try to understand Ancient technology, and he had seen her manage it. She was extremly intelligent. She was the smartest person he knew, and he knew the Ancients were really impressed with her. After all she was just a human with the naquadah protein in her, not like him. He was practically an Ancient. The only thing that he didn't have was said protein.

"General Hammond," Jack said looking at the people present in the Gate room for the first time, "General Jumper, General Ford, Admiral" he said going to salute his supperiors.

"Jack? What happened to you?" Hammond asked.

"Me?" Jack said not understanding anything, "Nothing."

"Your hair, General," Jonas explained. All the people at the Gate room were open mouthed.

"What happened to it? Has it turn grey again?"

Sam smiled. She couldn't believe he was asking that. He didn't want anyone to know that he was certainly concerned about his looks, but she knew, she had always known that.

"No, Jack," Daniel said. "It's brown!" he continued excited.

"Well, yes, it is," Jack said smiling, "for sometime now."

"How?" Daniel asked.

"I am a kid at heart, Daniel. That's why."

Everyone looked puzzled. Sam smiled at Jack.

"It's good to be on Earth, George. This is Abeni, a friend of ours," he said introducing the

Ancient woman as if nothing had happened regarding his hair.

Sam was now hugging her dad and Daniel, Teal'c and Jonas, weren't paying attention to what Jack was doing.

"Carter," he said, "there are Generals and an Admiral here. You can say hello to the guys later."

Sam looked around and blushed a little, "Sorry, sirs. I--"

"It's okay, Colonel," Hammond said smiling. "It's good to see you well," George added notincing that Sam didn't look like a pregnant woman. Although anyone that knew her, could say she was glowing. (But if I may say, anyone that knew Jack could say that he was glowing too) "Why don't we go to the briefing room?"

"Yes, sir," Sam said.

* * *

In the briefing room, humans and the Tok'ra were waiting for some explanation. Jack had showed Abeni the chair at his left. He was sitting in his usual chair, and then helped Sam with hers at his right. After sitting, he had reached and took Sam's hand in his.

"So, kids, what's up?"

"What's up? Jack!" Daniel whined.

"Danny?"

"Jack."

"Daniel?"

Jacob sighed, "Please, you two," the Tok'ra said, "Stop playing, Jack."

"Sorry, Dad," Jack said.

"Sam," Jacob said, "how are you?"

"I'm great, dad. Why?"

"Do you have any news for us?" Jonas asked.

"Perhaps you could tell us about the city?" Garibaldi invited seeing that this could take sometime.

Jack smiled, "What do you want to know?"

"Why don't you brief us, son?" George said.

Jack looked at him and sighed, "Well, it's really simple. We passed the test and found the

lost city."

"What did you have to do, Jack?" Daniel said losing his patience. "Talk!"

"Calm down, Spacemonkey" Jack said.

Sam smiled, "After you left, Daniel, I went to save Ja- the General," she corrected and all of them saw Jack wince, "and I saved him, but one of the natives killed me. Then the General killed tha native that had killed me, and the Ancients revived me, and --"

"They killed you?" Jacob asked looking at his daughter and then at Abeni. "Why did you let that happen?"

"It was necessary, Jacob/Selmak of the Tok'ra."

"Dad," Sam said, "they healed me after that."

"That was the test?" Ford asked.

Jack and Sam looked at each other. They knew that that hadn't been the test. The test was their love making. That was what the Ancients were looking for.

"Yeah," Jack said quietly. He didn't know what Abeni would say, and he didn't want to talk Ancient with her 'cause Daniel and Jacob spoke it a bit.

"Later we went to another planet. It was a forest planet," Sam said smiling. She knew she was talking like a kid, but she didn't mind. Some of Jack's attitude had gotten to her, "and that's were Jack got his brown hair again."

"Apparently there's something in the air that makes everyone look like the way they feel," Jack tried to explain.

"Look like the way they feel?" Daniel repeated thoughfully.

"O'Neill is in love" Teal'c said, "and his heart is the age of Colonel Carter. That's why he looks the way he looked when he was Colonel Carter's age."

"Wow," Daniel said. The others looked from Teal'c to Jack to Sam and then again to Jack.

"What?" Jack asked, "T is right."

"What happened next?" Ford asked trying to get to the part of the city.

"We found the new address and went there."

"You would have loved the planet, Jake," Jack said. "It was like one your friends would choose."

Jacob smiled as did Daniel, Teal'c, Jonas and Hammond, "a desert planet" the General explained to the members of the Joint Chief.

"We then found a forcefield that wouldn't let us inside the city, but that's where the spheres helped."

"The key!" Jonas excalimed.

"Yeah," Jack said smiling.

"And, well, that's all," Sam said. "We spent our days there, in the city."

"That's all?" Garibaldi asked.

"When are we going to go?" Daniel said standing up. He looked like he would be available for leaving at that precise moment.

"_We_ are not going anywhere, Daniel," Jack said. "That city is only for Ancients."

"This means that we can't see all the knowledge that recides there?" Jumper asked. They had done all this or nothing?

"You can't, but _we,"_ he said showing Sam and himself, "can."

"Why?"

"Because that is our city," Jack said.

"Your city?"

"Yeah, that's where our kids will be born."

"WHAT?" Jacob said.

"Are you pregnant?" Daniel asked Sam.

"Dad! What Jack said was right. Our kids will be born in that city."

"But the doctors can't go there," Jonas said.

"We will be there," Abeni said calmly.

"Pardon me if I don't believe that's safe for my grandkids."

"They are our children, dad, and we decide what to do with them," Sam said stubbornly.

"Sam," Jack said trying to calm her, "Jacob, this is the reason we came back. Sam is pregnant," he said with a huge grin in his face.

"When are you going to give birth, Sam?" Hammond asked.

"In 9 months," Sam said shyly.

"And when are you going back to the city?"

"I will come to take them to the City when the time comes," Abeni said.

"Excuse me," Ford said suddenly to Abeni, "but for what we know, some Ancients will be staying with us."

"Samantha, Jonathan, and their kids are those Ancients, General Ford."


	44. Chapter 43

**The other lost city**

Chapter 43

The silence in the room was impressive.

"Excuse me?" Daniel asked perplexed.

"As I said, Sam, Jack and their kids are the Ancients representatives that will be staying on Earth," Abeni said.

This was a topic that they had discused before coming. Jack and Sam had been concerned about the future their children would have on Earth. Even if the Trust had lost almost all their power, their kids would be most certainly not safe. Their DNA would be very special. After all they would be the first Ancients born in MANY years. That meant that they would be in a lot of danger.

Jack was the one that realized how they could guarantee their protection. the Ancients and perhaps the Asgard could give them the security they needed. Jack knew he had to contact Thor as soon as he came back to Earth. The Asgard would be very happy with the news they have. He was very happy, and he couldn't hide it.

"Why?" Ford asked.

Sam was the one to answer that. "Sir, we know that the President will give us his word that nothing will happen to any member of our family, but that sometimes isn't enough."

"And this way, not only the States are responsible for our security, but all the world, not that we can't take care of ourselves" Jack said, "but it's necessary."

"I see," Jumper said, "I will tell the President"

"Thank you, sir."

"Well, people," Hammond said, "why don't we rest for a little and then continue?"

"Good idea, George," Jacob said. "Jack, may I have a word with you?"

Jack looked at him, "Me?" he asked.

"Yes, Jack. Please why don't we go to Sam's lab, of course, if you are not using it, Sammie," he said to his daughter.

"No, dad, go ahead. Use it."

"Thank you, sweetie," he said and kissed her cheek.

"We will be in the commissary," Sam said and left the room.

"Dad?" Jack asked concerned.

"Come on, Jack," was Jacob's only answer, and he left the room.

Jack looked at Abeni. She was still in the room, "Go, Jack. Everything is going to be all right. I will be with Sam when you finish."

"Okay, see you," he said and left.

* * *

Sam was trying to decide what she wanted to eat. She was hungry, but she didn't want anything that the Commisary had.

"Sam?" Daniel asked. He was waiting for her to decide.

"I don't know, Daniel, nothing here is what I want."

"What do you want, Sam?" Jonas asked.

"I don't know, Jonas. I'll know what I want when I see it."

Daniel looked around. There was no more food in the commissary. He looked at Jonas next and realized that the young man was noticing the same.

"Colonel Carter," Teal'c said, "don't you want your blue jello?"

Sam thought about it, "I think I will take that piece of cake," Sam said pointing to the chocolate cake that the commissary had always, as it was Jack's favourite, "with vanilla ice cream and my blue jello on it."

"Excuse me?" Daniel said. He was surprised by Sam's selection.

"What?" Sam said, "I'm a pregnant woman. I can eat whatever _and _whenever I want, and this normal stuff," Sam said taking what the cook gave her.

"Okay, Sam, if you say so."

* * *

"Jack," Jacob said, "you know what I want to say?"

"I think I know Jacob," Jack said seriously. It wasn't the time to call him "dad", "but why don't you tell me?"

"If you hurt her, there will be no place in the entire Galaxy for you to hide. Understood?"

"Yes, Jacob. I know, and believe me, I will never hurt her on purpose. I can't give you my word that we will never have a fight, because you know that having some fights is good. It makes the couple stronger, but I will never hurt her if I can help it."

"I know, Jack. I know you love my daughter and that her happiness is more important to you than whatever happens to you, but it's something I have to say. She is my only daughter, my little girl."

"I know, Jacob," Jack said hoping the conversation was over so he could return to his family.

"You will know what I feel when you have a daughter."

Jack grinned like a fool. He really wanted a little girl that look just like his Carter.

"You won't like any of the men that put their eyes on her," Jacob continued, not seeing how Jack's expression was changing, "They won't be good enough for her."

"Well, of course they won't," Jack said suddenly, and Jacob looked at him surprise, "I will kill any man that approaches her. I know what men have on their minds. They have only one thing, Jacob, and I won't let THAT happen," Jack finished and left the room. He was going to have a very serious conversation with Sam's belly.

"Jack!" Jacob called and then started laughing. The young man was very funny.

- You did that on purpose.

- Selmak, don't start.

- Jack is a good man.

- He is, but she is my only daughter.

- He is good for her, you know that. He is the best man she could have chosen.

- I know, but as I say, she is my only daughter and --

- Why did you tell him all that?

- For him to know what to expect when his daughter grows up.

- You don't know if they would have a daughter.

- I'm sure they will have at least a boy and a girl, Selmak.

- Why?

- The Ancients need them. You always need a male and a female.

- That's right. We will have at least two new grandchildren

- Oh no, Selmak, I believe that they will have a lot of kids. Jack loves children.

The end (for now)

* * *

A/N: I will write the continuation, my story doesn't finish here but I am tired right now. You will know what happened to Pete and to Sam and Jack, don't worry. But I really need a break on this story, I am wirtting other things at the moment, I hope I'll post them soon.

I really have to thank all of you for your reviews and I WILL CONTINUE THIS STORY, don't worry.


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